ATA annual meeting highlights production support in the cassava value chain

15 September 2023

The government-funded Agricultural Transformation Agenda program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ATA-DRC) successfully concluded a stock-taking workshop, where they outlined the lessons learned from the first phase and prepared for the activities and staffing requirements for the second phase. The project team met at the IITA Kinshasa office from 23 to 25 August 2023. The meeting aimed to analyze the project performance via the activities implemented in the first phase, exchange experiences, learn from the gaps and challenges, and build a solid work plan based on each hub’s priorities for the next two years.

IITA is implementing the project in partnership with the African Agricultural Leadership Institute (AALI), which provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture through the project hubs at Mongata, Lubumbashi, Ruzizi, TShopo, and Nkuadi. Different crops, including maize, rice, soybean, banana, cowpea, and cassava, are involved in the project. Among these crops, cassava remains the most important for the Congolese.

Under Frederick Schreurs’ leadership in the seed system unit, the cassava seed system has been strengthened with Dr Adetoro Najimu and team in Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponic (SAH) technology for rapid supply of improved and resistant cassava varieties, particularly in the area where there are seed crises like Ruzizi Plain, the Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) hotspot.

Contributed Sikirou Mouritala