IITA

What IITA does

IITA is a non-profit, Nigeria-headquartered agricultural research-for-development organization founded in 1967 and a member of the CGIAR Consortium. It generates agricultural innovations for six mandate crops — banana/plantain, cassava, cowpea, maize, soybean and yam — across 28 African countries through five regional hubs (Ibadan/West, Kinshasa/Central, Dar es Salaam/East, Lusaka/Southern, Bamako/Sahel) and stations in additional countries. Its core technical assets include the world's largest cowpea germplasm collection within a 36,000+ accession genebank, Aflasafe biocontrol (up to 90% aflatoxin reduction), gene-edited banana lines confirmed as non-GMO by Kenya's NBA, and tissue culture laboratories for disease-free planting material. IITA also runs digital agriculture tools including the Aflatoxin Early Warning System (A-EWS), Seed Tracker, Nuru App, and drone/GIS/remote sensing pipelines.

IITA operates a partner-led, grant-funded business model with no commercial sales. Revenue is sourced from CGIAR pooled funding, development banks (African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank), bilateral donors (Germany, EU), foundations (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), and corporate partners (Bayer), with flagship delivery platforms including the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program, ENABLE Youth, and the Business Incubation Platform (BIP). Visible recent capital inflows include a $16.61M AfDB grant for TAAT Phase III, €89.291M AfDB funding for ENABLE Youth Cameroon, a €5M Germany/AfDB TAAT II Addendum grant, and a multi-year Bayer collaboration with up to $1.2M in-kind support. The customer base is composed of smallholder farmers (reached via national NARES, extension services, NGOs and private sector partners), national agricultural research institutes, African governments, and youth agribusiness entrepreneurs, with downstream impact claimed at nearly 25 million farmers reached since 2018 and over $4 billion in additional agricultural value generated through TAAT.

Name

IITA

Legal name

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Website

https://iita.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

IITA is a non-profit CGIAR agricultural research-for-development organization that generates crop innovations (cassava, maize, cowpea, soybean, yam, banana) for smallholder farmers, national research systems, and African governments across 28 countries via five regional hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research & Development Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biologicals Regulatory, Testing & Quality Assurance Services (AFABAEAO), Carbon, Sustainability & MRV Services for Farms (Baseline, Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) (AFACACAK), Sustainability & ESG / Carbon & Conservation Program Advisory (AFACAJAF)

Keywords

• Tropical agriculture research
• Crop improvement programs
• Agricultural biotechnology
• Food security initiatives
• Youth agribusiness training

Headquarters

HQ city

Ibadan

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grants and donor funding: IITA operates as a non-profit research-for-development organization funded primarily through grants from governments, development banks, foundations, and international organizations. Major funders include African Development Bank (AfDB), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, EU, IsDB, and CGIAR system funding.
2. CGIAR System Funding: As a member of the CGIAR Consortium, IITA receives pooled funding through the CGIAR Trust Fund, which is supported by donors worldwide.

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

IITA is a non-profit agricultural research-for-development organization that generates and delivers agricultural innovations including improved crop varieties (banana/plantain, cassava, cowpea, maize, soybean, yam), biocontrol products like Aflasafe, gene-edited crops, germplasm conservation, and digital agriculture tools. The organization operates through crop improvement programs, a Genetic Resources Center (Genebank), the Business Incubation Platform, the continent-wide TAAT program, and the ENABLE Youth initiative, serving smallholder farmers, national research systems, governments, and private sector partners across sub-Saharan Africa.

Product overview

IITA is a non-profit agricultural research-for-development organization that generates and delivers agricultural innovations across sub-Saharan Africa. The organization's portfolio consists of multiple interconnected research programs and delivery mechanisms: core crop improvement programs for six mandate crops (banana/plantain, cassava, cowpea, maize, soybean, and yam) utilizing biotechnology, genetic engineering, and genome editing; supported by infrastructure including the world's largest cowpea genebank (36,000+ germplasm accessions) and research laboratories. IITA delivers impact through commercialization platforms (Business Incubation Platform), large-scale transformation programs (TAAT reaching 25M+ farmers), and youth engagement initiatives (ENABLE Youth, IITA Youth Agripreneurs). Key products include Aflasafe biocontrol for aflatoxin management, digital agriculture tools (Seed Tracker, Nuru App), and training programs. The organization operates through five regional hubs (Western, Central, Eastern, Southern Africa, and Sahel) and maintains open access data repositories including Cassavabase and Yambase.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Banana/Plantain Crop Improvement Research and development program delivering improved banana and plantain varieties through genetic engineering and genome editing techniques for disease resistance (Banana Xanthomonas Wilt) and enhanced yield performance, for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Cassava Crop Improvement Genetic improvement of cassava for enhanced yield, disease resistance, and nutritional content through advanced biotechnological tools, serving smallholder farmers and value chain actors across sub-Saharan Africa.
• Cowpea Crop Improvement Development of high-yielding cowpea varieties with resistance to pod borer, diseases, and parasitic weeds, including the Pod Borer-Resistant Cowpea (PBR Cowpea) event AAT709A approved for commercial release in Nigeria in January 2019, for smallholder farmers.
• Maize Crop Improvement Development of high-yielding, disease and pest-resistant maize varieties including drought-tolerant, Striga-resistant, and nutritionally enhanced (provitamin A) varieties, supporting smallholder maize farmers across Africa.
• Soybean Crop Improvement Genetic improvement of soybean varieties for higher yields, disease resistance, and climate adaptability, supporting smallholder soybean farmers across sub-Saharan Africa.
• Yam Crop Improvement Development of improved yam varieties through biotechnology and conventional breeding for enhanced yield and disease resistance, supporting smallholder yam farmers across Africa.
• IITA Genebank (Genetic Resources Center) Conservation of over 36,000 plant germplasm accessions including the world's largest cowpea collection (15,000+ samples from 88 countries), providing disaster relief seeds and supporting global food security through germplasm distribution to researchers and national programs.
• Aflasafe Biocontrol Product Biocontrol product that uses atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus to drastically reduce aflatoxin contamination by up to 90% in maize and groundnuts, protecting crops from poisonous toxins. Available as Aflasafe KE01 for Kenya with manufacturing plant at KALRO Katumani.
• Business Incubation Platform (BIP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Crop yields increased by up to 69% through improved technologies
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship and core.

• Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security (PiLAF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026MoU signed for collaboration in advancing agricultural policy research and evidence-driven decision-making. Joint initiative on agricultural market and policy modeling workshop for Nigeria, building capacity for partial equilibrium modeling and scenario analysis.
• BayerflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Multi-year research collaboration (through 2028) combining IITA's tropical crop expertise with Bayer's breeding technologies. Focus on 7 priority crops (maize, soybean, cowpea, cassava, yam, banana, Bambara groundnut) targeting 30 million smallholder farmers. Bayer provides up to $1.2 million in-kind support including technical advisory, training platforms, and breeding tools.
• CGIAR ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIITA is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global agriculture research partnership for food and nutrition security. IITA contributes to CGIAR research programs and receives pooled funding through the CGIAR Trust Fund.
• AfricaRiceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance between sister CGIAR centers transforming Africa's food systems. Joint initiatives include TAAT Rice Compact, Zero Hunger Project (35,000 farmers in Nigeria and Togo), GEM rice parboiling technology deployment, and Seeds4Liberia project ($6.5 million EU funding).
• Clemson UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner$1.2 million Gates Foundation-funded project for low-cost hydroponic banana planting systems in Africa. Project aims to increase banana yields and resilience by addressing disease and poor-quality planting materials, with potential adaptation for other crops.
• Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership including state-of-the-art Aflasafe manufacturing plant at KALRO-Katumani, licensing of KALRO to produce Aflasafe KE01 for Kenya and the region. Joint field trials for gene-edited banana BXW resistance. Collaboration in biotechnology capacity building, digital advisory tools, and seed systems.
• Nigeria's Ministry of Youth DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch National Youth in Agribusiness Land Trust Fund improving land access for young Nigerians engaged in agribusiness, with support from FCMB and IITA.
• HarvestPluscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for biofortification of staple crops including maize, cassava, and beans. Scientists at IITA and HarvestPlus work together to add essential vitamins and minerals to everyday foods to address micronutrient deficiencies ('hidden hunger').
• IMIC-Africa ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-private partnership coordinated by CIMMYT for maize breeding partnerships. Provides partners including seed companies and national research systems access to germplasm, multi-location testing networks, and capacity development to address climate challenges in African maize production.
• CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination of IMIC-Africa public-private partnership for maize breeding. Joint germplasm development, testing networks, and capacity building for climate-resilient maize varieties in Africa.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded LEG4DEV program training young scientists in climate-smart agricultural techniques. Collaborative initiative with University of Zambia providing field-based experience in sustainable legume-cereal systems using both high- and low-tech data collection methods.
• University of ZambiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with IITA-CGIAR and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) under LEG4DEV program. Focus on training young scientists in climate-smart agriculture and building scientific capacity to address climate variability and food insecurity.
• National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for capacity building workshop on agricultural market and policy models. NADF Executive Secretary emphasized importance of data-driven policy decisions and baseline Agrifood Outlook for Nigeria.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO technical experts Sergio René and Abdi Ali facilitated modeling workshop training. Collaboration on agricultural policy analysis and evidence-based planning for Nigeria's agrifood systems.
• Programme National de Développement Agricole (PNDA) - DR CongomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDR Congo delegation visited IITA to strengthen collaboration on agricultural transformation. Partnership includes support for gene bank establishment, cassava breeding and production, and capacity building for agricultural research.
• National Institute for Agricultural Study and Research (INERA) - DR CongomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIITA supports INERA including plans to establish a gene bank in DRC. Technical staff exchanges planned for practical training across IITA units. Collaboration on strengthening value chains, infrastructure, and research capacity.
• Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC delegation visited NISER to explore collaboration in knowledge exchange, capacity building, and research development. Proposed formal MoU to support future joint initiatives.
• University of IbadanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC delegation visited University of Ibadan exploring collaboration in agricultural research and postgraduate training. Discussions on strengthening MSc and PhD programs with expansion into forestry, fisheries, horticulture, and animal husbandry.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and IITA's sister CGIAR center. Coordinates the IMIC-Africa public-private maize breeding partnership with IITA, jointly developing climate-resilient maize varieties for Africa. Highly comparable as a CGIAR agricultural research-for-development institution.
• AfricaRice: AfricaRice Center, another CGIAR sister center with which IITA has a formal strategic alliance. They jointly lead TAAT Rice Compact, Zero Hunger Project, GEM rice parboiling technology, and Seeds4Liberia, with directly overlapping research-for-development missions and African geographic focus.
• HarvestPlus: Partnership for biofortification of staple crops with vitamins and minerals, working alongside IITA on maize, cassava, and beans for Africa. Highly comparable CGIAR-affiliated R4D entity with shared crop-improvement mandate and donor base.
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): A CGIAR research center providing evidence-based policy solutions to ending hunger and poverty. IITA partners with IFPRI on policy modeling and feeds into shared CGIAR Research Programs, making it directly comparable as a sister CGIAR R4D institution.
• World Agroforestry (ICRAF): CGIAR sister center focused on agroforestry and natural resource management, addressing climate-smart agriculture, restoration of degraded lands, and sustainable farming systems – all themes shared with IITA's managing natural resources portfolio.
• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT: A consolidated CGIAR center focusing on biodiversity and tropical agriculture (cassava, beans, tropical forages) – with direct overlap in mandate crops (cassava) and tropical geographic scope comparable to IITA.
• WorldFish: CGIAR sister center focused on aquatic food systems. Part of the same CGIAR system with shared pooled funding, governance structure, and research-for-development delivery model as IITA.
• International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA): CGIAR sister center serving similar smallholder farmers in dryland regions, including IITA-adjacent geographies such as Sudan, Chad, and Sahel. Directly comparable as a CGIAR R4D institution with mandate crop research and germplasm distribution.
• International Potato Center (CIP): CGIAR sister center focused on root and tuber crops (potato, sweetpotato). Comparable as a CGIAR international agricultural research-for-development institution with similar biotechnology, genebank, and capacity-building functions.

Broad incumbents

• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): IRRI is a CGIAR global leader on rice research; while AfricaRice focuses on African rice, IRRI sits in the same CGIAR system and represents a comparable international agricultural R4D model though broader in scope and headquartered in Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IITA_CGIAR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IITAPUBLISHING
• Facebookfacebook.com/IITA.CGIAR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iita

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IITA