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Farming Systems Agronomy Program

Farming Systems Agronomy Program

Why Farming Systems Agronomy

The Farming Systems Agronomy (FSA) Program develops and scales locally adapted agronomic solutions that improve agronomic gain, close yield gaps, crop productivity and enhance overall farming-system performance. FSA applies Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) principles within site-specific contexts, combining evidence from cropping-system design, long-term experiments, seed systems, field data, and advanced modelling including machine learning and AI.

These inputs are translated into localized agronomic recommendations (agro-advisories) that respond to differences in soils, climate, crops, management practices, and farmer circumstances. These recommendations support better farmer decision-making on nutrient management, crop and variety choice, planting, soil health, and cropping systems, helping address the key biophysical and management constraints responsible for yield gaps.

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Working with national agricultural research systems, private-sector actors, NGOs, and digital advisory platforms, FSA validates, delivers, and scales these recommendations through practical use cases. The overall goal is to turn agronomic science and data into actionable farmer-level decisions that increase yields, resource-use efficiency, and overall farming-system productivity.

Rony Swennen

Crop Lead

R.Swennen@cgiar.org

Geographic Reach

The program has breeding stations in Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria serving East, Central and West Africa.

Objectives

  • Develop high-yielding, pest and disease resistant, market preferred varieties of banana and plantain.
  • Develop elite parents with end-user quality, climate resilience, and pest and disease resistance traits to accelerate the development of improved varieties.
  • Integrate conventional and modern breeding technologies to accelerate the rate of genetic gain in both parental and product development pipelines.
  • Enhance multi-stakeholder engagement to improve selection, dissemination and adoption of superior varieties.

Focus Areas

Enhancing the performance of agricultural value chains through market systems development, private sector partnerships, and
scalable agribusiness solutions that improve livelihoods and food security.
Germplasm development, trait discovery and deployment

In each breeding station, we maintain a set of germplasm relevant for both parental improvement and product 

development. This consists of wild diploids, improved diploids and tetraploids and landraces sourced from the international transit centre (ITC), national partners and other international Musa breeding programs. Routine cross-pollinations are carried out to develop new varieties and improve parental lines. In parallel, we genotype the germplasm and breeding populations for QC/QA in the breeding pipeline and to generate SNP markers that are used in genome-wide association studies and QTL mapping. Markers tightly linked to traits are converted into KASP assays for routine marker assisted selection. We have also developed a medium density marker panel and pangenome to facilitate diversity studies, gene discovery for gene editing and genomic selection.

Phenotyping

We conduct both field (on station, multi-location and on-farm) and controlled conditions (screen house and glass house) phenotyping using well 

established and approved SOPs. We measure traits such as yield, agronomic performance, pest and disease resistance and quality in both the germplasm and hybrids to select superior parents and new varieties. Image based phenotyping is under development for all traits.

Data management and analytics

We operate an end-to-end digitalized breeding program where data is digitally captured using FieldBook and BTracT 

and stored in MusaBase, enabling easy access, retrieval and traceability using a barcoding system. We have transferred this to 3 NARS and plan to transfer to all NARS partners of the banana breeding network for use in multi-location and on-farm verification trials.  All our trials are established using appropriate statistical designs through consultation with biometrics and B4T quantitative genetics team and the data generated is analyzed in approved analytic pipelines in Bioflow to enable genetic gain estimation and other key results needed for breeding decision. 

Product advancement and variety release

In collaboration with NARES partners and other stakeholders, the program conducts annual product advancement meeting 

(PAM) to select elite parents and potential breakthrough products for the next stage of evaluation. On-farm verification trials and national performance trials are conducted in accordance with harmonized protocols and national guidelines towards registration and release.

Seed systems and delivery

The program has well-established tissue culture laboratories with technical staff in all breeding stations to multiply breeder’s seed to 

facilitate dissemination and delivery of improved varieties. This is done in collaboration with IITA genetic resource centre and germplasm health unit for global distribution. The program for seed systems innovation for vegetatively propagated crops in Africa (PROSSIVA) helps to coordinate private tissue culture laboratories and community-based seed entrepreneurs (CSE) that have been trained in macro-propagation technologies to ensure delivery of clean planting materials to the farmers. Social Economists are engaged to assess the adoption rate and socio-economic impact resulting from the new varieties.

Key Activities

The program integrates market-driven breeding, advanced genomics, and digital innovation to develop improved banana and plantain varieties that meet stakeholder needs. Through a combination of cutting-edge research, rigorous field evaluation, and AI-powered tools, it accelerates the delivery of high-performing, resilient, and market-relevant hybrids while strengthening capacity across the breeding ecosystem.

The program in collaboration with ABI-Transform and currently Breeding for Tomorrow AoW ENABLE has conducted several country-specific product design team meeting with stakeholders across the banana and plantain value chain and defined market segments (MS), target population of environments (TPE) and target product profile (TPP) to align breeding objectives with market demands. The TPP define value propositions such as high yield and low risk and loss to biotic stresses.

The program also conducts trait discovery and deployment under pre-breeding by conducting GWAS analysis, QTL mapping, diversity analysis, karyotyping, development of QA/QC markers, and low-density markers such as KASP for marker assisted selection (MAS), leveraging available genomics tools and genotyping platforms.

The main activities of the program include cross pollinations to generate new hybrids that are evaluated for yield, agronomic performance, pest and disease resistance and quality, selected and advanced through different stages of the pipeline including early evaluation trial (EET), preliminary yield trial (PYT), multi-locational evaluation trials (MET), on-farm verification trials (OFVT) and national performance trials (NPT). All these operations are digitalized using tools like FieldBook and BTracT, and the data made available to the Musa community through MusaBase.

The program is also involved in some fundamental research such as floral biology to enhance seed production and hybrid recovery, through projects such as RTB pollen storage to enhance breeding efficiency, 2n gamete induction to facilitate diploid by diploid breeding to generate sterile triploid varieties, RTBFoodomics to understand metabolites responsible for food quality. In all these research activities, capacity building is embedded giving opportunities for master’s and PhD students.

The program is also exploring the use of digital phenotyping and use of AI models to improve data quality and phenotyping efficiency to enhance the precision of breeding decisions. Digital phenotyping has been developed to screen for weevil resistance using Image J and Machine Learning models. This is being extended to Fusarium (Foc R1) and nematode necrosis screening. We are also exploring estimation of bunch weight using images and ML-models.

Achievements

Seven NARO-IITA developed improved matooke varieties released by TARI in Tanzania, two improved matooke varieties released in Uganda and one improved plantain released in Côte d’Ivoire between 2010 and 2026. One improved plantain released in Nigeria in 2026.

Innovations

The program is generating high-yielding varieties of matooke and plantain with a yield gain between 64 and 243%. We have developed KASP markers for fruit filling which allow rouging of 33% of the genotypes at nursery level before field planting. Other KASP markers for traits such as weevil resistance and pro-vitamin A content are in advanced stages of validation. We developed macro-propagation technology as a low-cost scalable technology for rapid multiplication of banana and plantain varieties.  Digital phenotyping for weevil resistance is fully operational in East Africa.

IMPACT CASES

Tanzania (FHIA Hybrids): Regional Yield & Income Growth (+15% Yield, $7M Impact)

The recent adoption and impact study on banana in Kagera region in Tanzania highlights the economic transformative power banana breeding can have on communities and entire value chain.

In Kagera, the 48% adoption rate of FHIA hybrids has boosted production of bananas by 15%, resulting in US$ 7 million per annum for the region.  It is important to note that it took nearly 15 years to achieve this.

Côte d’Ivoire (Improved Plantain): High Yield & Disease Resistance (+64% Advantage)

The released improved plantain variety yields up to 30 t/ha in Côte d’Ivoire. It is resistant to Black Sigatoka and tolerant to nematodes with a yield advantage of 64% over local landrace Agbagba.

Uganda (NARITA 17): Transformational Yield Breakthrough (+243% Increase)

The recently released NARITA 17/NAROBAN 6 in Uganda has a yield advantage of 243% when compared to local landrace check Mbwazirume. It is resistant to Black Sigatoka, Foc R1, TR4, and 

nematodes but also tolerant to weevils and has good table quality attributes surpassing earlier releases.

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Partnerships and Collaboration

  • CGIAR centers: Alliance of Bioversity–CIAT; CIP; CIMMYT
  • National research & extension partners (NARES): NARO (Uganda); TARI (Tanzania); KALRO (Kenya); ISABU (Burundi); RAB (Rwanda); INERA (DR Congo); NIHORT (Nigeria); CRI (Ghana); CNRA (Côte d’Ivoire)
  • Private sector partners: Maua Mazuri (Tanzania); SENAI (Uganda); Royal Plants & Nurseries (Uganda); Agrobiotech (Burundi)
  • Advanced research institutions (ARI): KUL (Belgium); MBG (Belgium); IEB (Czech Republic); Salk Institute (USA); NCSU (USA); BTI–Cornell (USA); CIRAD (France); RHUL (UK); BRIN (Indonesia); ICAR-NRCB (India); CATIE (Costa Rica); CATAS (China); SLU (Sweden)
  • Universities: Makerere University (Uganda); NM-AIST (Tanzania); Stellenbosch University (South Africa); University of Ibadan (Nigeria); University of Kisangani (DR Congo); University of Dschang (Cameroon)
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Abolore Bello

Bello Abdulrazaq Abolore is a Senior Research Supervisor at the Cassava Breeding Unit of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. Specialising in crop varietal development using inclusive, informed gender and social participatory breeding approach. Abolore holds a Master’s degree in Crop Science and a B.Tech (Hons) in Agronomy. Abolore is a Fellow of Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped with Agricultural Transformation (GREAT) and has attended the Plant Breeding 2 Fight Hunger (PB2FH) Training Program at Michigan State University, USA and Quantitative Methods in Plant Breeding at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), United Kingdom to enhance his breeding skills. He is currently completing the Post Graduate Program in Data Science and Business Analytics at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business in Collaboration with Great Learning. Abolore current roles include monitoring and evaluation of promising cassava genotypes in pre-released and On-farm trials to present for release by the Nigeria Crop Variety Release Committee. He also engages in multi-disciplinary research on social and transformative gender studies to improve the decision-making process by value chain actors and stakeholders. Abolore has in-depth knowledge to conduct consumer testing, participatory processing and varietal selection to elicit trait preferences preferred by crop users to inform breeders.

He works with IITA breeders, and gender/social scientists on the implementation of CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiatives and Genetic Programs, RTB Breeding Projects, Gender Initiatives Program and 1000farms Project.

Recent publications

de Sousa, K., van Etten, J., Manners, R. Bello, A., Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., et al. 2024. The tricot approach: an agile framework for decentralized on-farm testing supported by citizen science. A retrospective. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 44, 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-023-00937-1

Bello, A. A., Agbona, A., Olaosebikan, O., Edughaen, G., Dufour, D., Bouniol, A., Iluebbey, P., Ndjouenkeu, R.*, Rabbi, I. Y., Teeken, B. 2023. Genetic and environmental effects on processing productivity and food product yield: drudgery of women’s work in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, pages 1 – 32, ISSN 0022-5142, 5

Olaosebikan, O.; Bello, A.; Utoblo, O.; Okoye, B.; Olutegbe, N.; Garner, E.; Teeken, B.; Bryan, E.; Forsythe, L.; Cole, S.; Madu, T. 2023.  Stressors and Resilience within the Cassava Value Chain in Nigeria: Preferred Cassava Variety Traits and Response Strategies of Men and Women to Inform Breeding. Sustainability 15, 7837. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107837

Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A. A., de Sousa, K., Ndjouenkeu, R., Adesokan, M., Alamu, E. O., Agbona, A., van Etten, J., Kegah, F. N.*, Dufour, D., Bouniol, A., Teeken, B. 2023. Consumer acceptability of cassava gari-eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot) in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture,

Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A. A., Madu, T.*, Cole, S. M. 2023. Qualitative assessment on the positionality and preferences of dyads in relation to cassava-related activities: working with tricot trial citizen scientists https://hdl.handle.net/10568/138326 Type: Manual

Bouniol, A., Ceballos, H., Bello, A. A., Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., Owoade, D., Agbona, A., Fotso Kuate, A., Madu, T.*, Okoye, B.*, Ofoeze, M.*, Nwafor, S.*, Onyemauwa, N.*, Adinsi, L.*, Forsythe, L., Dufour, D. 2023. Varietal impact on women’s labour, workload and related drudgery in processing root, tuber and banana crops: focus on cassava in sub-Saharan Africa in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, pages 1 – 25, ISSN 0022-5142,

Cavicchioli, M., Zimbiti, T., Teeken, B., Nwanze, D.O., Liani, M., Parkes, E. & Bello, A. 2023. IITA-Gender Responsive Breeding Training Report. Genetic Resources Center, IITA-HQ, Ibadan, 21-23 September, 2022. Ibadan, Nigeria: IITA, (34 p.).https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131368

Agbona, A. Peteti P., Teeken B., Olaosebikan O., Bello, A. A., Parkes, E., Rabbi, I. Y., Mueller, L., Egesi, C., Kulakow, P. 2022. Data Management in Multi-disciplinary African RTB Crop Breeding Programs. In: Williamson, H.F., Leonelli, S. (eds) Towards Responsible Plant Data Linkage: Data Challenges for Agricultural Research and Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13276-6_5

Teeken, B., Garner, E., Agbona, A., Balogun, I., Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Egesi, C., Kulakow, P. and Tufan, H.A. 2021. Beyond “Women’s Traits”: Exploring How Gender, Social Difference, and Household Characteristics Influence Trait Preferences. Frontiers Sustainable Food Systems 5:740926. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.740926

Teeken, B., Agbona, A., Bello, A., Olaosebikan, O., Alamu, E., Adesokan, M., Awoyale, W., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Chijioke, U., Owoade, D., Okoro, M., Bouniol, A., Dufour, D., Hershey, C., Rabbi, I., Maziya‐Dixon, B., Egesi, C., Tufan, H. and Kulakow, P. (020. Understanding cassava varietal preferences through pairwise ranking of gari‐eba and fufu prepared by local farmer–processors. Int J Food Sci Technol. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14862

Bela Teeken, Olamide Olaosebikan, Ireti Balogun, Benjamin Okoye, Tessy Madu, Steven Cole, Abolore Bello, Elizabeth Parkes. (2020). Piloting the G+ customer and product profile tools for gender-responsive cassava breeding in Nigeria. Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/13000

Fortunatha Petro Mollel

Ms. Fortunatha Petro Mollel is a seasoned Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) professional who joined International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in May 2026 as a Gender Research Associate, based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  She is working under the Muhogo Bora (Better Cassava for All) project mainly focused on supporting the design and implementation of gender transformative interventions towards fostering an enabling social, economic, institutional environment that supports the engagement of women and youth to successfully thrive as Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs in Tanzania. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Development Management from University of Dar es Salaam; Bachelor of Arts Degree in Gender and Development, and a Diploma in Gender and Development both from Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy, Tanzania. She is also a trained associate in project management (CAPM).

Ms. Mollel is committed to advancing inclusive, evidence-based, and community-driven approaches that promote equity, dignity, and sustainable change. She has nine years of progressive experience in designing, implementing, and strengthening gender-transformative and inclusive development programmes across Tanzania. Her technical expertise includes women’s and youth economic empowerment, Results-Based Financing (RBF), safeguarding, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, behaviour change campaign, and the operationalization of the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle across agriculture, education, livelihoods, renewable energy, climate resilience, and health sectors. She is also experienced with integrating project management skills into income-generating activities, inclusive entrepreneurship development, and facilitating access to startup kits and economic opportunities for women and youth.

Prior to joining IITA, Ms. Mollel worked with leading international development organizations such as CARE International, SNV Tanzania, TechnoServe, and Heifer International, where she  led and supported the development of GESI strategies, Gender Action Plans, gender-sensitive value chain analyses, and social norms transformation initiatives aimed at promoting equitable participation and sustainable development outcomes for marginalized populations, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, young mothers, and survivors of gender-based violence.

Helio Gurué

Hélio Gurué is a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Officer at the International Institute of Agriculture (IITA), working on the Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AID-I) based in Nampula, Mozambique. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Childhood Development and Education from the Psychology Department of the Faculty of Education at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique. Mr. Gurué has four years of cumulative experience working in the development sector the context of emergencies. His scope of work mainly focused on Humanitarian Aid to Internally Displaced People in Cabo Delgado, where he worked as a Gender and Child Protection Officer in Emergencies (SOS Children’s Village Mozambique); Child Protection Assistant with Family Health International (FHI) 360; Child Protection Coordinator with Save the Children International; and Protection Assistant against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse with UN-Migration. Prior to joining IITA, he worked as a Gender Officer with Plan International based in Nampula, Mozambique. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Gender and Development at Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique.

Adeola Alabi

Adeola Alabi, a Nigerian, is a Gender Research Associate with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). He is based in Ibadan, Nigeria. His research efforts is focused at addressing the most important social bottlenecks constraining the development of VPC seed systems in target countries on Program for Seed System Innovations for Vegetatively-propagated crops in Africa (PROSSIVA).

He has a Master of Science degree in Sociology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 2017. Upon completion of his masters program, he volunteered as a Junior Research Assistant with the Department of Social Policy and Governance with the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Ibadan. Before joining IITA, Adeola has functioned as a Learning and Development Manager with a private consultancy firm, where he had the privilege of working on different World Bank Assisted social investment projects including Business Advisory Service Provision for Nigeria for Women Project; Conduct of Disability Assessment for National Social Safety Nets Projects; Partial Data Update, Validation and Reallocation of Geo-Coordinates for Poor and Vulnerable Households in the Social Registry; and Data Structuring, Field Validation and Enumeration on Output-Based Disbursement among others. At another time, he has functioned as Social Safeguard Expert on a World Bank Assisted Flood Management Project titled “Second Pool of Long-Term Investments for Flood Control in Ibadan City of Oyo State”.

Publication (Journal Article)

ADEGOKE, O.O., ALABI, A.I., and JEGEDE, A.S. (2018). Cultural Conception of “Eniyan L’aso Mi” and the changing roles of family in Social Production of Care for the Elderly in Yoruba Setting. The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (NASA). Vol. 16, No. 2,2018.

Faustina Obeng Adomaa

Faustina Obeng Adomaa is a Consultant for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ghana. She is the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Lead for the Accelerating Impacts of CGAIR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), Ghana cluster. She obtained her PhD in Social Science (inclusive value chains) from Wageningen University & Research. She also holds an MPhil and BA in Geography and Resource Development, from the University of Ghana with specialization in the Geography of Gender. Her research is at the intersection of broad processes of agriculture value chain development and their ramifications on agrarian gender, land, and labour relations. She has expertise in unpacking rules in use, including norms and conventions, across multiple domains and designing agriculture interventions to transform these rules to foster inclusivity. Her latest research integrates critical agrarian studies perspectives into value chain research. In her current work, she integrates gender-transformative perspectives into an instrument mix for inclusive climate smart agriculture.

Recent publications

Torvikey, G. D., Dalaa, M. A., Obeng Adomaa, F., Saeed A., Amoah, A.I., Kofituo, R. K., Tetteh, A. & Asare, R. (2024). Making climate smart cocoa inclusive: Towards a framework for gender transformation. Southern African Review of Sociology. Forthcoming.

Nguyen-Perperidis E., Obeng Adomaa F., Nguyen P.M & Kyeretwie B.N.S. (2023). Advancing a Gender-Responsive Delivery Model for Mitigating Climate Impacts in Ghana’s Cocoa Landscape. FARA Research Report Vol 7(19):196-213. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370341773_Advancing_a_Gender-Responsive_Delivery_Model_for_Mitigating_Climate_Impacts_in_Ghana’s_Cocoa_Landscape

Obeng Adomaa, F. (2022). Improving Rural Women’s Access to Productive Resources: Are the Low Hanging Fruits Too Low to Make a Difference? Feminist Africa 3 (2) 99-108 https://feministafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/06.Feminist-AfricaNovember-2022_Volume-3-Issue-2_Revisiting-Gender-in-Rural-Livelihoods-and-Development-Intervention_Standpoint.pdf

Obeng Adomaa, F., Vellema, S. & Slingerland, M. (2022). Justice and Inclusiveness: The Reconfiguration of Global–Local Relationships in Sustainability Initiatives in Ghana’s Cocoa Sector. Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Ethics 35, 22 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-022-09895-2 

Chiputwa B, Obeng Adomaa F, Ihli JH, Rusinamhodzi L. (2021). Gender equality as a pathway to sustainable development of cocoa and coffee value chains in East and West Africa. In: Minang PA, Duguma LA, van Noordwijk M, eds. 2021. Tree commodities and resilient green economies in Africa. Nairobi, Kenya: World Agroforestry (ICRAF). https://worldagroforestry.org/publication-chapter/gender-equality-pathway-sustainable-development-cocoa-and-coffee-value-chains?pid=115886

Obeng Adomaa. F, & Apatinga G. A. (2019). Women’s economic empowerment in the midst of precarious Export processing zone employment: Evidence from Ghana. Labour, Capital and Society. 49:1 (2019) http://www.lcs-tcs.com/PDFs/49_1/49_1%20-%20Adomaa%20&%20Apatiga.pdf

Obeng Adomaa, F. Wrigley-Asante, C. & Teye J. K (2015). Working conditions in Ghana’s Export Processing Zone and implications on women’s empowerment. Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation. 9 (2) 64-78 https://ucl.scienceopen.com/document_file/6520b116-3e6e-4ba7-b517-99a33fc2bb57/ScienceOpen/workorgalaboglob.9.2.0064.pdf

Olajumoke Adeyeye

Olajumoke Adeyeye, a Nigerian, is a Postdoctoral Fellow (Gender Research) with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). She is based in Ibadan, Nigeria. Her research focus is on micro-level analysis of multidimensional empowerment, gender, and youth empowerment, especially in agriculture and rural livelihoods.

She has a doctoral degree in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria in 2018. Before taking up the Postdoctoral position, Olajumoke worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria where her responsibility includes teaching, research, and advocacy on gender, development, and social policy issues. As a Postdoctoral Fellow (Gender Research) at IITA, Olajumoke coordinates the research activities of the CGIAR Gender Equality (HER+) Initiative Work Package 1 (TRANSFORM: Gender transformative approaches – GTAs) and Work Package 3 (PROTECT: Gender responsive Social Protection) in Nigeria and Mali respectively.

Olajumoke has vast experience in conducting research and has led and worked with multidisciplinary teams on projects funded by IDRC, BMGF, etc. in different contexts across Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, and Tanzania. She has hands-on experience in gender analysis, mainstreaming, and integration; gender norms and gender transformative approaches, gender policy design, implementation, and review.

She is a recipient of different fellowships and grants including the African Women in Agriculture Research and Development (AWARD) Fellowship (2011), the INASP AuthorAid Gender Workshop Grant (2015), and the IITA Graduate Research Fellowship (2016). She has published in reputable academic outlets as well as attended and facilitated conferences, seminars, and webinars, locally and internationally.

 Publications

Journal Articles

  1. Ayansina Ayanlade, Isaac A. Oluwatimilehin, Oluwatoyin S. Ayanlade, Olajumoke Adeyeye & Sa’adatu Abatemi-Usman (2023). Gendered vulnerabilities to climate change and farmers’ adaptation responses in Kwara and Nassarawa States, Nigeria. Humanities and social sciences communications, 10 (1)1-15
  2. Abraham Akyala, Ayansina Ayanlade, Olajumoke. Adeyeye, and Isaac Ayo Oluwatimilehin (2023). Gender-responsive approaches to rapid climate warming among smallholder farmers. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100219
  • Olofinyehun, A., Adeyeye, J., Egbetokun, A., Olomu, M., Oluwadare, J., Sanni, M., & Orisadare, M. (2023). Pooled Longitudinal Dataset on the Assessment of an Apprenticeship-Based Entrepreneurship Intervention in Nigeria. Research Data Journal for the Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(1): 1- 48
  1. Adeyeye, O., Orisadare, M.A., Atijosan, A.B., and Olajide, O.O.C. (2022) Gender-Inclusive development in rural settings: Reframing the issues in African context. In L. Amusan (Ed), Food Security and Food Sovereignty Challenges in Africa. Ethics Press
  2. Adeyeye, O., Fabusoro, E., Sodiya, C. I., & Fapojuwo, O. E. (2021). Gender differences in time-poverty among rural households in Southwest Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, 122 (2) 193-205. https://doi.org/10.17170/kobra-202107134323
  3. Adeyeye, O. (2021). Bridging the gender gap in empowerment of rural households: is technology the solution? Development in Practice, https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2021.1911937
  • Adeyeye O., Oluwatope O.B., Ilevbare E. and Oyeniran O (2019). Gender, time poverty and health outcome among rural households in Southwest Nigeria. Gender and Behaviour, 17(2), 13014 – 13117
  • Adeyeye, O., Njuki, J. and Miruka, M. (2018). Does women’s agency influence agricultural technology adoption? Food Chain, 7(1), 1 – 17.

Policy Briefs

  1. Seymour, G., Cole, S., Costenbader, E., Mwakanyamale, D., Adeyeye, O., Feleke, S., Ferguson, N., Heckert, J., Msita, S., Litvin, K. and Johnson, T.P. (2023). Measuring gender and social norms in agrifood systems: Evidence from Nigeria and Tanzania. Nairobi, Kenya: Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135665
  2. Adeyeye, O. and Fischer, G. (2023). Exploring links between social protection, gender, and climate resilience in the Sahel region. Nairobi, Kenya. Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/136045
  • Cole, S., Adeyeye, O., Msita, S., Mwakanyamale, D., & Liani, M. (2023). How to integrate gender transformative approaches into social protection in agrifood systems. Policy Brief. Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135167

Thomas de Hoop, Jumoke Adeyeye, Osasuyi Dirisu, Akinwumi Akinola, Aline Meysonnat, Garima Siwach and Leigh Anderson (2021). Taking stock of the evidence on women’s groups in Nigeria. Evidence Consortium on Women’s Groups (ECWG).

Msita, Sarah

Sarah Msita is a Gender Research Assistant at the International Institute of Agriculture (IITA) based in Tanzania. She began her journey with IITA in 2020 as a consultant, where she contributed to the implementation of the BEST Cassava Project, specifically focusing on the advocacy and mainstreaming component. During her tenure, she played a significant role in the study titled “Assessing gender inequalities in access to and benefits derived from the cassava seed system in Tanzania.”

Sarah holds a Master of Arts degree in Project Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, both obtained from the University of Dar-es-Salaam. Her educational background and professional experience reflect her commitment to addressing gender disparities and promoting equality, particularly within the agricultural sector.

She is part of the team that implements Work Package 1 of the One CGIAR HER+ Initiative, in Tanzania which aims to achieve climate resilience by strengthening gender equality and social inclusion, through gender transformative approaches. Passionate about effecting positive change through research, Sarah is dedicated to leveraging her expertise at the intersection of gender and agriculture to drive impactful outcomes.

 

 

Publications

  • Seymour, G., Cole, S., Costenbader, E., Mwakanyamale, D., Adeyeye, O., Feleke, S., Ferguson, N., Heckert, J., Msita, S., Litvin, K. and Johnson, T.P. (2023). Measuring gender and social norms in agrifood systems: Evidence from Nigeria and Tanzania. Nairobi, Kenya: Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135665
  • Cole, S., Adeyeye, O., Msita, S., Mwakanyamale, D., & Liani, M. (2023). How to integrate gender transformative approaches into social protection in agrifood systems. Policy Brief. Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135167
  • Kitalyi, A., Mjachakwe, E., Jeremiah, A., Alessandra, G., Cole, S.M., Adeyeye, O., Mwakanyamale, D. and Msita, S. 2023. Stakeholder Workshop on Social and Gender Norms in the Cassava, Chicken, and Fish Value Chains in Tanzania. CGIAR Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132812
  • Achandi, E., Bullock R., Galie, A., Jeremiah, A., Msita, S., Mwakanyamale, D. and Obuolo, E. 2023. Normative constraints and opportunities for women’s economic resilience to climate change in chicken, cassava and fish value chains of selected sites in Tanzania. Nairobi, Kenya: CGIAR Gender Equality Initiative. https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/134933
Rashida Chantima Ziblila

Rashida Chantima Ziblila is a Gender Specialist with International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for the SI-MFS initiative based in Tamale-Ghana. Ms. Ziblila has an Mhil degree in Innovation Communication (2019) and a BA degree in Development Communication (2015), both obtained from the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale Ghana.

Rashida has about seven years work and research experience from her own studies and other related studies in the area of Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) in transdisciplinary research spaces with a focus on gender.

She has interest in integrating gender transformative tools into projects that are critical to enhancing the well-being and inclusive growth of all especially women.

Publications

Ziblila, R.C., M. Lelea, J.A. Ayelazuno, E. Mumini, and B. Kaufmann. 2019. Rural Women’s Access to Land and Household Food Security: Implications of Agricultural Intensification in Ghana. Tropentag, Kassel, Germany.

Konlan, L.M., R.C. Ziblila, M.A. Lelea and B. Kaufmann. 2019. Entrepreneurial Potentials of Rural Women’s Groups to Process Underutilised Species in Northern Ghana. Tropentag, Kassel, Germany.

M.A. Lelea., L.M. Konlan, R.C. Ziblila L.E. Thiele, A. Amo-Aidoo, B. Kaufmann. 2022. Strategies to Promote Sustainable Development:The Gendered Importance of Addressing Diminishing African Locust Bean (parkia biglobosa)  Resources in Northern Ghana’s Agro-ecological Landscape.

Mwakanyamale, Devis

Devis Mwakanyamale is a Senior Research Associate at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). His training background is in agricultural economics, but he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Development Studies with a focus on gender at the University of Dar es Salaam. Devis earned a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Sokoine University of Agriculture and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from the same university. As part of a team, Devis contributed to setting up a transdisciplinary process that aimed at developing a mixed-methods research tool for improving the measurement and understanding of intrahousehold decision-making. Presently, he is actively involved in coordinating activities for the One CGIAR Gender Equality (HER+) Initiative for Tanzania. The Initiative seeks to transform agrifood systems by addressing structural gender inequalities, such as harmful social and gender norms.

Journal article

  • Liani M.L., Cole S.M., Mwakanyamale D.F., Baumung L., Saleh N, Webber A., Tufan H.A. and Kapinga R. (2023). Uneven ground? Drivers of intersectional gender inequalities in cassava seed entrepreneurship in Tanzania. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7: 1155769, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1155769

Working papers, published reports, blogs, and policy briefs

  • Cole, S., Ferguson, N., Heckert, J., Mwakanyamale, D., Seymour, G., Feleke, S., Fischer, G., John, I., Lija, Z., Nyaa, M., and Zacharia, H. (2023). How do couples in rural Tanzania make decisions? Findings from a novel mixed-methods approach for understanding intrahousehold decision making. CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform Working Paper #016. Nairobi, Kenya: CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135722
  • Greg Seymour, Steve Cole, Elizabeth Costenbader, Devis Mwakanyamale, Olajumoke Adeyeye, Shiferaw Feleke, Nathaniel Ferguson, Jessica Heckert, Sarah Msita, Kate Litvin, and Tina Phillips Johnson. (2023). Measuring gender and social norms in agrifood systems: Evidence from Nigeria and Tanzania. Brief. Nairobi, Kenya: Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135665
  • Achandi, E., Bullock R., Galie, A., Jeremiah, A., Msita, S., Mwakanyamale, D. and Obuolo, E. 2023. Normative constraints and opportunities for women’s economic resilience to climate change in chicken, cassava and fish value chains of selected sites in Tanzania. Nairobi, Kenya: CGIAR Gender Equality Initiative. https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/134933
  • Cole, S., Adeyeye, O., Msita, S., Mwakanyamale, D., & Liani, M. (2023). How to integrate gender transformative approaches into social protection in agrifood systems. Policy Brief. Gender Equality Initiative. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135167
  • Mwakanyamale, D., Cole, S., Seymour, G. and Heckert, J. (2023, February 21). Better understanding of intra-household decision-making with a locally informed mixed-methods research tool. Engendering Data (Blog).

https://gender.cgiar.org/news/better-understanding-intra-household-decision-making-locally-informed-mixed-methods-research

  • Mwakanyamale, D., Cole, S., Heckert, J., John, I., Fischer, G., Seymour, G. and Feleke, S. (2022). A process guide for the development of a mixed-methods research tool for measuring and understanding intra-household decision-making https://ebrary.ifpri.org/utils/getfile/collection/p15738coll2/id/136594/filename/136801.pdf
  • Cole, S., Mwakanyamale, D., Ssendi, L. & Elias, M. (2021). A dyadic interview guide to explore intra-household decision-making. Ibadan, Nigeria: IITA, (45p.)

https://doi.org/10.25502/jgdq-pg69/p

  • Mwakanyamale, D.F., Baumung, L., Cole, S.M., Webber, A., Saleh, N. & Kapinga, R. (2021). Gender barriers and success factors that shape women’s involvement in and benefits from cassava seed production businesses in Tanzania. Ibadan: IITA, (27p.)

https://doi.org/10.25502/376c-gh81

Liani, Millicent

Millicent Liani is a Post-Doctoral Gender Research Fellow with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She has a disciplinary training background in anthropology and gender studies with strong skills in qualitative research methods. She obtained her PhD in Social Sciences from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. She holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts (First class honors) degrees in Anthropology and Gender Studies, all from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She has over ten years of work experience in gender integration in research and development projects across Sub-Saharan Africa in the fields of agriculture, global health, and climate change. Before joining IITA, she worked as a Gender Research Associate with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), where she provided technical support with the implementation of the CGIAR Research Programs’ gender research strategies for the respective institutions.

At IITA, her research is aimed at integrating gender and social inclusion considerations in the Muhogo Bora (Better cassava) gender-responsive cassava seed systems project in Tanzania; the USAID-funded Great Lakes Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative Rapid Delivery Hub focused on inclusive scaling of agricultural innovations; as well as the One CGIAR Initiative on “Ukama Ustawi (UU): Diversification for Resilient Agrifood systems in East and Southern Africa (ESA)”.

Publications

  • Liani M.L., Cole S.M., Mwakanyamale D.F., Baumung L., Saleh N, Webber A., Tufan H.A. and Kapinga R. (2023). Uneven ground? Drivers of intersectional gender inequalities in cassava seed entrepreneurship in Tanzania. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7: 1155769, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1155769

 

  • Robinson Karuga, Rosie Steege, Inviolata Njoroge, Millicent L. Liani, Neele Wiltgen Georgi, Lilian Otiso, Nelly Muturi, Linet Okoth, Rachel Tolhurst, and Sally Theobald (2022). Leaving no one behind: A photovoice case study on vulnerability and wellbeing of child-headed households in two informal settlements in Nairobi. Social Sciences 11 (296): 1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11070296
  • Liani, L.M., Nyamongo, K.I., Pulford, J., and Tolhurst, R. (2021). An intersectional gender analysis of familial and socio-cultural drivers of inequitable scientific career progression of researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Global Health Research and Policy Journal, Volume 6 (30): 1-16. Available at https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s41256-021-00213-3.pdf
  • Liani, L.M., Nyamongo, K.I., Pulford, J., and Tolhurst, R. (2021). Institutional Level Drivers of Gender Inequitable Scientific Career Progression in Sub-Saharan Africa. Health Research Policy and Systems, Volume 19 (117):1-18. Available at https://health-policy-systems.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12961-021-00767-1.pdf
  • Liani, L.M., Nyamongo, K.I., Pulford, J., and Tolhurst, R. (2021). Enablers of gender equitable scientific career progression in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from the DELTAS Africa Initiative. AAS Open Research, 4(42). Available at https://aasopenresearch.org/articles/4-42/v1 DOI: 12688/aasopenres.13243.1
  • Liani, L.M., Nyamongo, K.I., and Tolhurst, R. (2020). Understanding intersecting gender inequities in academic scientific research career progression in sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Gender Science and Technology, Volume12(2):266-288.Available http://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/article/view/652
  • Waithanji, E., Wanyoike, S. and Liani, M. (2019). The Role of Gender and Other Socioeconomic Factors in the Adoption of the Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia Vaccine: A Literature Review. East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal, Volume 83 (3): 221-238. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00128325.2019.1604195
  • Esther M Njuguna, Millicent L. Liani, Meseret Beyene and Chris O. Ojiewo (2016). Exploration of cultural norms and practices influencing women’s participation in chickpea participatory varietal selection training activities: A case study of Ada’a and Ensaro districts, Ethiopia. Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security, Vol. 1 (3) pp 40-63. http://agrigender.net/uploads/JGAFS-132016-3-Paper.pdf
  • Ochago, R., Ouma, E., and Liani, M. (2015). CGIAR Livestock and Fish Uganda partner gender capacity assessment brief. http://bit.ly/20WqL50
Teeken, Béla

Béla Teeken is a social science and gender researcher at the International Institute of tropical agriculture. He holds a PhD in social science and an MSc in crop physiology and rural development sociology from Wageningen University. He has a major interest in how ecology, local institutions, culture and gender shape and determine local innovations and agricultural practices and how these innovations and practices related to relates to those of formal scientific research.

He has specific expertise in participatory field trials and food product quality evaluation in rice as well as cassava in relation to socio-cultural segmentation and gender. This includes qualitative as well as quantitative data analysis using insights and tools  from anthropology; sociology; crop agronomy/physiology; breeding, genetics and history. Studies cover work in Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, RD Congo and Cameroon.

He is currently working within breeding teams of roots, tubers and banana crops to inform and reform CGIAR breeding programs to make them more socially inclusive with specific attention to integrating gender responsive and transformative approaches.

Recent publications

McGuire, E., Leeuwis, C., Rietveld, A.M. and Teeken, B. (2024). Anticipating social differentiation and unintended consequences in scaling initiatives using GenderUp, a method to support responsible scaling. Agricultural Systems, Volume 215, 103866  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2024.103866

de Sousa, K., van Etten, J., Manners, R. Abidin, E., Abdulmalik, R.O., Bello, A., Acheremu, K., Angudubo, S., Aguilar,  A., Arnaud, E., Babu, A., Barrios, M., Benavente, G., Boukar, O., . Cairns, J.E., Carey, E., Daudi, H., Dawud, M., Edughaen, G., Ellison, J., Esuma, W., Mohammed, S.G., van de Gevel,  J., Gomez, M., van Heerwaarden, J., Iragaba, P., Kadege, E., Assefa, T.M., Kalemera, S., Kasubiri, F.S., Kawuki, R., Kidane, Y.D., Kilango, M.,  Kulembeka, H., Adofo, K.,Madriz, B., Masumba, E., Mbiu, J., Mendes, T., Müller, A., Moyo, M., Mtunda, K., Muzhingi, T., Muungani, D., Mwenda, E.T., Nadigatla, G.R.V.P.R.,Nanyonjo, A.N., N’Danikou, S., Nduwumuremyi,  A., Nshimiyimana, J.C., Nuwamanya, E., Nyirahabimana, H., Occelli, M., Olaosebikan, O., Ongom, P.O., Ortiz-Crespo, B., Oteng-Fripong, R., Ozimati, A., Owoade, D., Quiros, C.F., Rosas, J.C., Rukundo, P., Rutsaert, P., Sibomana, M., Sharma, N., Shida, N., Steinke, J., Ssali, R., Suchini, J.G., Teeken, B., Tengey, T.K., Tufan, H.A., Tumwegamire, S., Tuyishime, E., Ulzen, J., Umar, M.L., Onwuka, S., Madu, T.U., Voss, R.C., Yeye, M. & Zaman-Allah, M. (2024) The tricot approach: an agile framework for decentralized on-farm testing supported by citizen science. A retrospective. Agronomy and Sustainable Development. 44, 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-023-00937-1

Bello, A., Afolabi, A., Olamide, O., Gospel, E., Dufour, D., Bouniol, A., Iluebbey, P., Ndjouenkeu, R., Ismail, R. and Teeken, B. (2023), Genetic and environmental effects on processing productivity and food product yield: drudgery of women’s work. J Sci Food Agric. Accepted Author Manuscript.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.13079

Bouniol, A., Ceballos, H., Abolore, B., Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, D.O., Owoade, D., Afolabi, A., Fotso Kuate, A., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Ofoeze, M., Nwafor, S., Onyemauwa, N., Adinsi, L., Forsythe, L. and Dufour, D. (2023), Varietal impact on women’s labour, workload and related drudgery in processing root, tuber and banana crops. Focus on cassava in sub-Saharan Africa. J Sci Food Agric. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12936

Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A., de Sousa, K., Ndjouenkeu, R., Adesokan, M., Alamu, E., Agbona, A., Van Etten, J., Kégah, F.N., Dufour, D., Bouniol, A. and Teeken, B. (2023), Drivers of consumer acceptability of cassava gari-eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot). J Sci Food Agric. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12867

Takam Tchuente, H.N., Fongang Fouepe, G.H., Mbwentchou Yao, D.C., Mathe, S. and Teeken, B. (2023), Varietal diversity as a lever for cassava variety development: exploring varietal complementarities in Cameroon. J Sci Food Agric. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12899

Olaosebikan, O.; Bello, A.; Utoblo, O.; Okoye, B.; Olutegbe, N.; Garner, E.; Teeken, B.; Bryan, E.; Forsythe, L.; Cole, S.; Kulakow, P.; Egesi, C.; Tufan, H., Madu, T. (2023) Stressors and Resilience within the Cassava Value Chain in Nigeria: Preferred Cassava Variety Traits and Response Strategies of Men and Women to Inform Breeding. Sustainability,  15, 7837. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107837

van Etten, J., de Sousa, K., Cairns, J. E., Dell’Acqua, M., Fadda, C., Guereña, D., van Heerwaarden, J., Assefa, T., Manners, R., Müller, A., Enrico Pè, M., Polar, V., Ramirez-Villegas, J., Øivind Solberg, Svein., Teeken, B. & Tufan, H. A. (2023). Data-driven approaches can harness crop diversity to address heterogeneous needs for breeding products. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(14), e2205771120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2205771120

Agbona, A., P. Peteti, B. Teeken, O. Olaosebikan, A. Bello, E. Parkes, I. Rabbi, L. Mueller, C. Egesi, and P. Kulakow.Data Management in Multi-disciplinary African RTB crop breeding programs  (2023) in: towards responsible plant data linkage: data challenges for agricultural Research and Development, HF Williamson and S Leonelli eds. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp. 85–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13276-6_5

Alamu, E.O., Teeken, B., Ayetigbo, O., Adesokan, M., Kayondo, I., Chijioke, U., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Bello, A., Njoku, D., Rabbi, I., Egesi, C., Ndjouenkeu, R., Bouniol, A., De Sousa, K., Dufour, D. and Maziya-Dixon, B. (2023), Establishing the linkage between eba’s instrumental and sensory descriptive profiles and their correlation with consumer preferences: implications for cassava breeding. Journal of the Science Food and Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12518

Teeken, B. & Marina Padrão Temudo (2021) Varietal selection in marginal agroecological niches and cultural landscapes: the case of rice in the Togo Hills, Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 45:8, 1109-1138. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2021.1878405

Teeken, B., Garner, E., Agbona, A., Balogun, I., Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Egesi, C., Kulakow, P. and Tufan, H.A. (2021). Beyond “Women’s Traits”: Exploring How Gender, Social Difference, and Household Characteristics Influence Trait Preferences. Frontiers Sustainable Food Systems 5:740926. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.740926

Teeken, B., Agbona, A., Bello, A., Olaosebikan, O., Alamu, E., Adesokan, M., Awoyale, W., Madu, T., Okoye, B., Chijioke, U., Owoade, D., Okoro, M., Bouniol, A., Dufour, D., Hershey, C., Rabbi, I., Maziya‐Dixon, B., Egesi, C., Tufan, H. and Kulakow, P. (2020). Understanding cassava varietal preferences through pairwise ranking of gari‐eba and fufu prepared by local farmer–processors. Int J Food Sci Technol. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14862

Cole Steven

Steven Michael Cole is a Senior Scientist and Gender Research Coordinator for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. He obtained his PhD in Biological Anthropology from the University of Arizona. He also holds a MSc degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics and a BSc in Health and Nutrition. His research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the social and gender dynamics in agricultural contexts in low-income countries. He has extensive experience designing and piloting transformative approaches to overcome gender inequalities in agricultural development outcomes. His latest research integrates gender and other social science perspectives in biophysical research, including in research that aims to achieve gender-responsive breeding and seed systems outcomes and more inclusive value chains.

Recent publications

Liani, M., Cole, S.M., Mwakanyamale, D.F., Baumung, L., Saleh, N., Webber, A., Tufan, H.A., and Kapinga, R. (2023). Uneven ground? Intersectional gender inequalities in the commercialized cassava seed system in Tanzania. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7:1155769. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1155769

Quisumbing, A., Cole, S., Elias, M., Faas, S., Galiè, A., Malapit, H., Meinzen-Dick, R., Myers, E., Seymour, G., and Twyman, J. (2023). Measuring women’s empowerment in agriculture: Innovations and evidence. Global Food Security, 38, 100707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2023.100707

Tufa, A.H., Alene, A.D., Cole, S.M., Manda, J., Feleke, S., Abdoulaye, T., Chikoye, D., and Manyong, V. (2022). Gender differences in the adoption of improved agricultural technologies and crop productivity: Evidence from Malawi. World Development, 159, 106027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.106027

Avadí, A., Cole, S.M., Kruijssen, F., Dabat, M-E, and Mungule, C.M. (2022). How to enhance the sustainability and inclusiveness of smallholder aquaculture production systems in Zambia? Aquaculture, 547, 737494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.737494

Elias, M., Cole, S.M., Quisumbing, A., Meinzen-Dick, R., Perez, A.-M., and Twyman, J. (2021). Assessing women’s empowerment in agriculture. In: Pyburn, R. and A. van Eerdewijk (eds.). Advancing gender equality through agricultural and environmental research: past, present and future. IFPRI, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.2499/9780896293915

Cole, S.M., Feleke, S., Manda, J., Gondwe, T., and Akinwale, G. (2021). Who does what and why? Intra-household roles and explanatory models for sourcing soybean seed in Malawi. Outlook on Agriculture, https://doi.org/10.1177/00307270211033918

Cole, S.M., Kaminski, A.M., McDougall, C., Kefi, A.S., Marinda, P., Maliko, M., and Mtonga, J. (2020). Gender accommodative versus transformative approaches: A comparative assessment within a post-harvest fish loss reduction intervention. Gender, Technology, and Development, Special Issue on Gender and Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1080/09718524.2020.1729480

Kaminski, A.M., Kruijssen, F., Cole, S.M., Beveridge, M.C., Dawson, C., Mohan, C.V., Suri, S., Karim, M., Chen, O.L., Phillips, M.J., Downing, W., Weirowski, F., Genschick, S., Tran, N., Rogers, W. and Little, D.C. (2020). A review of inclusive business models and their application in aquaculture development. Reviews in Aquaculture. https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12415

Cole, S.M., McDougall, C., Kaminski, A.M., Kefi, A.S., Chilala, A., Chisule, G. (2018). Post-harvest fish losses and unequal gender relations: drivers of the social-ecological trap in the Barotse Floodplain fishery, Zambia. Ecology and Society 23(2), 18. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09950-230218

Cole, S.M., Puskur, R., Rajaratnam, S., and Zulu, F. (2015). Exploring the intricate relationship between poverty, gender inequality, and rural masculinity: A case study from an aquatic agricultural system in Zambia. Culture, Society and Masculinities, 7(2), 154-170. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12348/235

Olaosebikan, Olamide

Olamide Deborah Nwanze is a Senior Research Associate specializing in gender mainstreaming research to inform participatory and inclusive breeding, variety development, and seed systems policies regarding root, tuber, and banana (RTB) crops in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Headquarters, Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Ibadan and holds an MSc and B. Agric in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development. Olamide is a fellow of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development – Gender Responsive Agricultural Systems Policy (AWARD-GRASP) and the Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation (GREAT). She seeks to apply her gender-mainstreaming learnings, gender-responsive research, and policy development, and review expertise to facilitate women, youth, children, and vulnerable social group’s access to and adoption of agricultural Innovations that guarantee food, nutrition, income, and livelihood security in Africa. Her current roles include mentoring research fellows, development of guides and training manuals, implementation and adaptation of gender frameworks and tools, value chain actors’ engagement as citizen science partners, policy review and redesign, data management, and analysis. Her current research explores mixed methods and participatory and interdisciplinary approaches to capture and highlight gender dynamics, needs, preferences, and challenges stakeholders face within the agricultural livelihood value chain to prioritize gender-inclusive strategies in breeding programs, policy design, and implementation.

At IITA, she contributes to the implementation of the CGIAR Accelerated Breeding Initiative and Genetic Innovation Programs; participatory and gender research within the NextGen Cassava, HarvestPlus, RTBFoods, and Tricot-ClimMob 1000Farms Projects; and gender knowledge communication via the G-LENS webinar series, video documentary, policy briefs, publications, and blogs.

 

Recent publications

de Sousa, K., van Etten, J., Manners, R. Bello, A., Teeken, B., Olaosebikan, O., et al. 2024. The tricot approach: an agile framework for decentralized on-farm testing supported by citizen science. A retrospective. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 44, 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-023-00937-1

Madu, T., Onwuka, S., Nwafor, S., Onyemauwa, N., Ejechi, M., Ofoeze, M., Ukeje, B., Eluagu, C., Olaosebikan, O., Okoye, B., 2024. Gender-Inclusive Consumer Studies Improve Cassava Breeding in Nigeria in: Frontiers in Sociology, volume 9, number: 1224504, doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1224504

Olaosebikan, O.; Bello, A.; Utoblo, O.; Okoye, B.; Olutegbe, N.; Garner, E.; Teeken, B.; Bryan, E.; Forsythe, L.; Cole, S.; Madu, T. 2023.  Stressors and Resilience within the Cassava Value Chain in Nigeria: Preferred Cassava Variety Traits and Response Strategies of Men and Women to Inform Breeding. Sustainability 15, 7837. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107837

Okoye, B., Ofoeze, M., Ejechi, M., Onwuka, S., Nwafor, S., Onyemauwa, N., Ukeje, B., Eluagu, C., Obidiegwu, J.*, Olaosebikan, O., Madu, T.* 2023. Prioritizing preferred traits in the yam value chain in Nigeria: a gender situation analysis in: Frontiers in Sociology, volume 8, number: 1232626, pages 1 – 9, ISSN 2297-7775, 2023. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1232626/full

Olaosebikan, O., Bello, A. A., de Sousa, K., Ndjouenkeu, R., Adesokan, M., Alamu, E. O., Agbona, A., van Etten, J., Kegah, F. N.*, Dufour, D., Bouniol, A., Teeken, B. 2023. Consumer acceptability of cassava gari-eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot) in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture,

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