The Coordinator of Research and Innovation from the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Ukiriguru Center Dr. Deusdedit Peter Mlay, has described the significance of AKILIMO App […]
AKILIMO tool's performance in cassava cultivation has greatly facilitated its acceptance and adoption of this technology. Thanks to the African Cassava agronomy Initiative (ACAI) project for developing and spreading this technology country-wide, which is helping many cassava growers to adhere to good agricultural practices and through that, cassava harvests at the Kitumbi demonstration plot in the Handeni district have been plentiful.
On the 2nd of September, 2021, African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) organized sensitization training in a correctional facility in Akorede, Ibadan. The invitation to come was granted by the prison Agricultural Service Officer who had experience as an extension agent and has previously worked with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Mr. Alonge Ibikunle of the Department of Correctional Service (DCS) to train and sensitize farmers.
Lead farmers have overjoyed the functionality of the VIAMO service in accessing various AKILIMO recommendations noting that it is good and easy to use and they pledged to train their fellow farmers to increase efficiency in cassava production.
This came after training on good agronomical practices organized by the African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) in villages of Chitekete, Lengo, and Makukwe in Mtwara in November 2021, where five groups of more than 80 farmers attended the session.
The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) visited Ghana in order to embark on the integration of AKILIMO in the country. Ghana Cassava Centre of Excellence (GCCE) was the point of contact through which ACAI linked up with existing private, non-profit, and government institutions as well as international NGOs that can integrate AKILIMO into their operations in Ghana. Discussions have been ongoing since 2020 via virtual meetings; physical meetings could not take place because of the COVID 19 pandemic.
As one of the ACAI digital partners, ESOKO conducted TOT training for ACAI partners on how to use the ACAI mini projectors to train cassava farmers employing the use of the innovative video training KPLUS App. The
Radio, when coupled with other information Communication technology (ICT) like mobile phones, is noted as an effective tool helping farmers to make informed decisions that support […]
The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) project scientists demonstrated AKILIMO tools to cassava stakeholders and how they help to increase cassava productivity during the Dar es […]
The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) that is under the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has continued to disseminate AKILIMO technologies to cassava growers in Kibaha district so that to promote cassava cultivation and increase farmers’ incomes.
The Ogun State Agro Inputs Dealers Association (OGSAIDA) at her maiden Quarterly Assembly held on the 17th of July, 2021 at Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Federal Secretariat Abeokuta, Ogun State.
To ensure more women participate fully in AKILIMO dissemination events, The ACAI team called on women from regions of Mtwara, Tanga, Mara, and Mwanza at their locations to discuss together the challenges they face that seemed like the main reason for their low participation. ACAI organized these meetings in May 2021, to assess why women’s participation is so low compared to men to improve gender integration on use, uptake, and sustainability of AKILIMO.
The stakeholders 2-days workshop organized by African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) held in Lagos came to an end on Thursday, July 2021 with several stakeholders in attendance such as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Sasakawa African Association (SG2000), Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Notore Chemical Industries, Centre for Inclusive Agriculture & Gender Development (CIA-GED), Cedro Royal Limited, National Agriculture and Extension Liaison Services (NAERLS), and other key stakeholders in the agriculture sector have called for the adoption of ‘AKILIMO’, smart agriculture, to boost cassava production in Nigeria.
As a part of efforts to promote agriculture and rural development in consonance with global best practices, African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) and its partner Justice Development & Peace Movement (JDPM) visited Soku a small settlement along Oyo-Iseyin road, Oyo West Local Government, to supervise the harvesting of cassava varieties on a demo plot.
he Justice Development and Peace Movement (JDPM), one of the African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) partners in Nigeria recently honored the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ACAI, Harvest Plus, and two outstanding IITA staff with awards in recognition of many years of fruitful collaboration. A faith-based organization, JDPM works with people at the grassroots in the rural areas of Oyo State, Nigeria to promote sustainable human development and improved livelihoods. Agriculture is one of their main areas of interest as they train farmers to improve their yields and make more profit, subsequently improving their livelihood.
Following the African Cassava Agronomy Initiative’s efforts to promote the use of AKILIMO tools, the ACAI project team has impressed Extension agents (EAs), regional and local […]
Cedro Royal Multi-ventures, a partner of ACAI/RTB scaling AKILIMO project with headquarters in Abuja trained 400 grassroots cassava farmers on the use of the AKILIMO advisory tool for fertilizer recommendation (FR) and Best Planting Practices and weed management (BPP-WM).
In a bid to facilitate AKILIMO sustainability, partners agreed to continue the collection of data beyond the lifespan of the ACAI project. Remarks from partners during the planning meeting in Nigeria and Tanzania raised optimistic expectations; all partners considered data collection to be an essential component of their sustainability strategy in the use of AKILIMO tools in their operations.
Sustainability planning meetings were held respectively in Nigeria on 30th -31st of March, 2021, and in Tanzania on 22nd – 23rd of April, 2021. The essence of the meetings was to develop plans for continuous use of AKILIMO by ACAI partners and other initiatives beyond June 2022, when the ACAI project comes to an end. The meetings, hosted by IITA’s ACAI project, brought together 39 participants from the two countries (25 participants in Nigeria, 14 participants in Tanzania) cutting across various organizations. The workshop successfully harnessed the experiences and resources of partners, reaching a wide range of agreements on how AKILIMO will be sustained.
The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) planning meetings which held in Ibadan, Nigeria and Dares Salaam, Tanzania, raised hopes for a bright future for AKILIMO ahead of the end of the ACAI project. The planning meetings brought partners together and one of the highlights was the formation of AKILIMO Nigeria and AKILIMO Tanzania to sustain the use of AKILIMO beyond the life span of ACAI.
Promoters of AKILIMO in conjunction with Notore Chemical Industries plan to mobilize at least 30,000 cassava farmers for fertilizer recommendation (FR) tool.
Cassava value chain actors in Tanzania launched an association that will act as an umbrella body to address issues facing cassava producers and processors in the […]
ACAI conducted six training of trainers (TOTs) events at various locations in Eastern and Lake Zones in Tanzania on the effective methods of managing weeds that […]
The first field test version of the ACAI developed Akilimo decision support tool was introduced to the partners working with ACAI in Nigeria during a pre-launch […]
ACAI has released its first field test version of the Akilimo decision support system in paper and application format. These will be used by extension agents […]