Okra plays an important role in sustaining rural livelihoods, a key source of nutrients and ranked 4th in vegetable production in West Africa. However, the crop has not received significant investment in research and value chain development resulting in low availability of improved varieties suitable for the market and poorly capacitated seed companies that are unable to tap into the seed market’s potential. To sustainably scale okra productivity and market integration, the project aims to have 2000 farmers directly exposed to improved varieties through capacity building workshops and demo trials; 1500 farmers will have access to certified seeds by partnering with Seed companies to ensure that certified seeds reach farmers and 250kg of Early Generated Seeds (EGS) produced across countries through NARS stations.
By Dr. Sujayasree OJ – Post-harvest specialist, World Vegetable Center Imagine a breakthrough that enabled farmers to produce 25% more food. No extra land. No extra water or fertilizer. No extra seed. It would be a remarkable achievement. Farmers would demand it. Governments would insist on it. Investors would flock to it. It sounds too […]
Early results from WorldVeg field trials in Taiwan suggest that regenerative farming practices could encourage naturally occurring beneficial fungi that help crops access nutrients and withstand environmental stress. The research is examining how practices including reduced tillage, cover cropping and organic fertilizer affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) – microscopic organisms found naturally in soil that […]
New tomato and pepper lines designed to withstand one of Africa’s most damaging vegetable diseases are showing strong early results in trials in Benin. Bacterial wilt, caused by bacteria in the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex, can devastate crops with frightening speed. The bacteria choke plants from the inside, invading the vessels that carry water up […]
Nigerian and Taiwanese organizations are exploring how technology and expertise from Taiwan could help overcome some of the obstacles holding back Nigeria’s vast vegetable sector. Nigeria produced almost 16 million tonnes of vegetables in 2020, according to FAO data, making it one of the world’s biggest producers. The country’s population is projected to rise from […]
The Africa Vegetable Breeding Consortium (AVBC) has held its largest-ever annual workshop in Benin, drawing a record number of participants and countries. The new breeding lines and hybrids showcased at the event could help expand climate-resilient, market-focused vegetable production across Africa and beyond. Hosted by the WorldVeg West Africa Regional Office, the event brought together […]
Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) including pumpkin leaves, amaranth and okra – long grown and eaten locally but often overlooked as commercial crops – are gaining new routes to market in Eswatini as farmers, researchers, government and businesses work to build demand and strengthen production. TAVs are rich in important vitamins and minerals, while many are […]
Healthier soils could hold part of the answer to producing more nutritious food, according to scientists proposing a new approach that puts soil health at the heart of efforts to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. In a recent paper supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, researchers from WorldVeg, University of […]
Izabella Koziell delivered her first address as Director General of the World Vegetable Center at a handover ceremony at WorldVeg headquarters in Tainan, Taiwan, this week. Speaking to government representatives, Board members, staff, partners and other guests, she paid tribute to outgoing Director General Marco Wopereis, thanked Taiwan for its longstanding support, and set out […]
WorldVeg welcomes Izabella Koziell as its new Director General, bringing an experienced international development leader to the Center as it steps up efforts to harness vegetable research to improve diets, livelihoods and resilience to climate change. Koziell is the first woman to serve as WorldVeg Director General since the organization was founded in 1971, and […]
Benin has taken an important step towards strengthening its vegetable seed sector after scientists, regulators, and seed specialists completed advanced training in the evaluation and registration of new crop varieties. Led by WorldVeg, the training focused on two internationally recognized evaluation systems – Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) testing and Value for Cultivation and Use […]