Happy International Day of Biodiversity

To celebrate International Day of Biodiversity, today CIFOR released exclusive images of the critically endangered Javan leopard. Only a few hundred of them are left in the wild and the photos are pretty incredible!

Despite threats to habitat, new photos provide hope for endangered Javan Leopard

Just 100 kilometers from one of the world's most populated cities, camera traps placed in an Indonesian national park have captured striking, high-quality images of critically endangered Javan leopard. Learn more about how CIFOR is monitoring Indonesia's forest wildlife. Read more.

As forests disappear, Indonesia must monitor big cats to reduce human wildlife conflict, says scientist

As Indonesia’s national parks face threats from deforestation and human encroachment, it’s vital that tigers, leopards and other large mammals be monitored as part of conservation efforts – otherwise clashes with people will intensify, a senior scientist with the Center for International Forestry Research warns. Read more.

CIFOR captures one of the world's rarest big cats on film

The Bulletin 14 - 17 May 2013

The Bulletin 14 - 17 May 2013 (No. 2172)

In this week's Bulletin the MIRACLE project organizes an exposure and educational tour in Malawi, amongst other stories.

The Bulletin 17 May 2013 (Special Issue)

The Bulletin 17 May 2013 (Special Issue)

Our special issue of the Bulletin covers the launch of IITA’s state of the art Science Building in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

IITA DG meets the President of Zanzibar

.......and pledges to support isle to boost production and processing of cassava.  

IITA DG and H.E Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar 

The delegation that accompanied IITA DG to meet Zanzibar president at the State House.   

IITA’s DG, Nteranya Sanginga was this week at the institute’s eastern Africa hub in Tanzania where he among others visited the President of Zanzibar, the ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Tanzania and participated in the launch of the IITA-led project that aims at boosting the production of for important staples and is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Sanginga paid a courtesy call to His Excellency Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, the President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar at the State House in Zanzibar on April 4, 2013 and assured him of IITA’s support to boost production and processing of cassava at the island. The DG also delivered an invitation to the President from Chief Olesegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria and IITA’s good will ambassador, to the inauguration of IITA’s science building for eastern Africa hub in Dar es Salaam, slotted for 13 May 2013. 

President Shein thanking the DG for the visit and the invitation which he graciously accepted, praised the institute for its good work with the isle’s Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in boosting the production and productivity of root tuber crops, especially cassava and yams, and appealed for more support in cassava value addition.

AfDB project launch

IITA DG addresses participants at launch of SADC-SC project in Tanzania

Sanginga also participated in the launch of the country program of the ‘Multinational – CGIAR Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC)” which seeks to increase food security and improve the income and living standards of small-holder farmers in the 20 African countries, Tanzania included, by increasing the production of four important staple crops – maize, wheat, cassava and rice.

Guest of honour:  Dr Khalid S. Mohamed

The event was officiated by Dr. Khalid S. Mohammed, Principal Secretary, Ministry of State, Second Vice President Office, Zanzibar, and United Republic of Tanzania, who assured the participants of his government’s support to the initiative that was in line with his government’s efforts to develop the agriculture sector which is one of the key drivers of the country’s economic growth.  

Speaking at the launch Sanginga, said that this partnership project holds great potential to improve the livelihood of smallholders through improving the value chains of the four priority crops in Africa – cassava, maize, rice and wheat.

Visit to DRC ambassador

From left:  Sanginga, Ambassador Mpago and Manyong

The DG also paid a courtesy call to the Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Dar es Salaam, H.E Mr Juma Mpango.

The DG briefed the ambassador on IITA’s research activities in eastern and Central Africa. He informed the ambassador that DRC was the institute’s hub for Central Africa with a Director who at the moment for logistical reasons, was based in Nairobi. He added that the institute had invested in a science facility at Kalambo near Bukavu and would in the very near future also put up a science building in Kinshasa as the headquarters of the hub. 

Ambassador Mpango warmly welcomed the DG who was accompanied by the Director for eastern Africa Victor Manyong noting the institute was playing a very important role in supporting agriculture in the region and DRC which was rebuilding itself after many years of war.

IITA International School pupils persuade staff to quit smoking

Grade 4 pupils making a presentation on the "Dangers of Smoking."

For more than one-hour, the pupils of IITA International School held the attention of staff in Ibadan with a strong campaign on the dangers of smoking.
They advised staff to quit smoking, emphasizing that 45,000 people die each year in Nigeria due to smoking-related illnesses and over 1000 of them from ‘second-hand smoking.’
The campaign, which is part of a Grade 4 academic exercise, aims to save some of the over 1.22 billion people that have been held captive by smoking.
The children counseled that there are lots of problems attached to smoking, some of which include problems in breathing, wrinkles on the skin, home smell of stale tobacco, loss of sense of taste and smell and waste of financial resources. “Every year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking and when inhaled, nicotine first goes to the lungs and bloodstream. It has a powerful effect on the brain and the central nervous system, half of these deaths occurs in middle age,” they added.
Cigarettes, they said, contain over 4000 toxic chemicals, 50 of which are known to cause cancer. Also, tobacco contributes to a number of cancers. “30% of all cancer deaths are due to smoking, half of all smokers will die from smoking-related sicknesses,” they warned.
The position of the children was supported by Dr Samson Adeleke, Head of IITA Clinic. He warned that staying in an environment where people smoke impacts on someone’s health and, therefore, inhaling from either end of the cigarette is harmful.
Grade 4 teacher, Miss Omolara Salako advised both the staff and the pupils never to be engaged in the act of smoking, either real smoking or second hand smoking. “It is never too late to stop smoking to gain health benefits. To those with heart disease, your outlook improves if you stop smoking,” she said.  She reminded the audience of the slogan ‘smokers are liable to die young.’

For more information, please contact: Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org