Africa Dryland Crops Improvement Network (ADCIN)

Most Tanzanian farmers still use saved sorghum & groundnut seeds, despite improved varieties like TARISOR2 & Naliendele 2016.

Join Papias Binagwa, a @cimmyt.bsky.social Adjunct Scientist, as he shares more insights on this study.

📍: Zoom
🔗:https://bit.ly/4nHW7xY
📅:Sept 24
🕓:4 PM EAT

#DrylandCrops

In sub-Saharan Africa, 50% face food insecurity—only 20% access improved crop varieties

At #ADCIN & @cimmyt.bsky.social, we're closing the gap by building crop networks, advancing @cgiar.org -#NARES programs & strengthening capacity

From 50/20 to 100% impact

🔗 hdl.handle.net/10883...

At #ADCIN, we believe collaboration, innovation & inclusion can transform agriculture for smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa.

We’re building a dynamic network to boost access to improved dryland crops through partnerships, shared breeding & inclusive research.

#DrylandCrops

At #ADCIN, co-advancement means combining data science, genomics, & regional partnerships.

With #NARES & @cgiar.org, we’re:
🔹 Using breeding informatics
🔹 Applying marker panels & pangenomes
🔹 Introducing sparse testing

All to accelerate genetic gain for #DrylandCrops.

At #ADCIN, co-innovation means action.

With #NARES & @cgiar.org, we’re building crop resilience through regional plant health expertise.

📍 What does this look like?
🔬 47 screening sites
🦠 17 biotic stresses
🌱 3,200+ germplasm lines

Local expertise = faster, smarter breeding for real impact.

At #ADCIN, we co-develop breeding pipelines from the very start at population development with #NARES & @cgiar.org partners.
One example?
📊 BP00148 (OPV sorghum):
🔹 ZARI: 2,820 lines
🔹 EIAR: 2,820 lines
🔹 CIMMYT: 3,760 lines
➡️ 80 populations, 7,000+ new lines co-developed for regional impact

#ADCIN is redefining dryland crop improvement through shared leadership & co-design.

With #NARES and @cgiar.org partners, we’ve built:
🔹 28 breeding pipelines
🔹 48 development centers
🔹 2,000+ candidates
🔹 160 test sites

#DrylandCrops

At #ADCIN, we know lasting transformation happens through collaboration.

🔹 56 Product Design Teams
🔹 892 members
🔹 92 market segments
🔹 47 prioritized products

#NARES, @cgiar.org & partners are co-creating farmer-focused, demand-led breeding solutions that build resilience & transform lives.

The three-day Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) #Groundnut Mid-Year Review Workshop is underway in Tanzania. Researchers from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique are sharing progress, aligning strategies, & advancing innovation in groundnut breeding.

#DrylandCrops

Burkina Faso’s groundnut program is thriving with support from #ADCIN!

✅ Shared germplasm
✅ Boosted breeding capacity
✅ Market-fit product profiles

What’s next? Aiming to become a Regional Population Development Center to support dryland crop improvement across West Africa!

#DrylandCrops

ADCIN unites 200+ scientists across 17 SSA countries to boost dryland crops—sorghum, millets, cowpea & more. With NARES & CGIAR driving priorities, it’s more than a network—it’s a movement for food security, capacity & innovation.

🔗 hdl.handle.net/10883...

ZARI-Msekera recently held a Farmer's Field Day with 600+ farmers! Farmers explored quality seeds of improved groundnut varieties:
✅ MGV 9: GRD resistant, ELS tolerant
✅ MGV 8: Highlighted during the demo walk-through

A step in supporting informed crop choices & farmer-researcher linkages

#ADCIN

National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), with @cimmyt.bsky.social, led a demo in a farmer’s field in Hoima, Uganda, showcasing quality seeds of improved varieties of groundnut, millet & sorghum.

Demo plots help farmers see results, share knowledge & access quality seed.

#ADCIN

Over 60 farmers joined a Participatory Varietal Selection at Chitedze Research Station in #Malawi to help shape future #sorghum varieties.

Their feedback guides the development of climate-resilient, high-yielding, and market-ready crops.

#ADCIN #FoodSecurity #DrylandCrops

Over 30 scientists from 8 countries met in #Senegal for the #ADCIN Pearl Millet Review.

Outcomes:
✅ Aligned TPPs
✅ Improved trial protocols
✅ Striga & disease screening
✅ 2025 trials planned

With less than 20% of the land using improved varieties, strong data & partnerships are key.
#DrylandCrops

#ADCIN partners and @cimmyt.bsky.social hosted a vibrant field day in Dodoma, #Tanzania showcasing groundnut varieties to farmers, seed companies, processors & researchers.

Field days bridge research & real farming, promoting quality seeds and informed decisions.

#Groundnuts #DrylandCrops

The Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS) and partners recently hosted a Seeds Fair in Gwagwalada, Abuja, #Nigeria.

The event brought together farmers, agri-innovators, & leaders to advance food security with local seeds & farmer-made goods.

#DrylandCrops #ADCIN

Scientists from #NARES & @cimmyt.bsky.social recently toured Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique & Tanzania under the CtEH project, reviewed upgrades & harmonized trial protocols for #groundnuts.

Strong collaboration, field training & data quality were key highlights.

#DrylandCrops #ADCIN

At the 5th International Drylands Conference, hosted by the Center for Dryland Agriculture (CDA-BUK), #ADCIN and @cimmyt.bsky.social joined key discussions on resilient dryland agriculture driving science-led, inclusive solutions.

#FoodSecurity #ClimateResilience #DrylandConference2025

Welcome to the official page of the Africa Dryland Crops Improvement Network

We are a collaborative network of 200+ scientists from over 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, working together to leverage our collective strengths and accelerate farmers’ access to improved #drylandcrops varieties.