In New York, a glorious night of tributes to an outstanding leader H.E. President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, honoring his legacy, organized by CEO of Mutandis Africa, Chinelo Anohu. I was honoured to give the opening set of tributes followed by many luminaries gathered there, including Former President of Liberia H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf @MaEllenSirleaf; H.E. PM @miaamormottley of Barbados; Alhaji @AlikoDangote; @AminaJMohammed DSG UN; HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Emir of Kano; President of @afreximbank Dr. George Elombi; Chair of @Heirs_Holdings Tony Elumelu; MD of @WorldBankGroup and VP of @IFC_org Makhtar Diop @Diop_IFC; and Founder of @SeplatEnergy Austin Avuru, among others. Congratulations to Chinelo for a well-attended event!

Scientists had tried and failed for decades to cross Africa's own rice species with Asia's, until a Sierra Leonean breeder named Monty Jones did what the textbooks said couldn't be done. African rice, Oryza glaberrima, was domesticated independently in the Inner Niger Delta around 3,000 years ago. It's tough, drought-resistant, and disease-resistant, but low-yielding. Asian rice yields far more but struggles with Africa's harsh growing conditions. The two species are genetically distant enough that crossing them reliably produces sterile offspring, a wall that had stopped other researchers cold. In 1994, working at the West Africa Rice Development Association, Jones and his team broke through it, using anther culture and embryo rescue to produce the first fertile hybrids, later named NERICA, New Rice for Africa. By 2017, NERICA adoption had lifted an estimated 8 million people out of poverty across 16 countries. In 2004, Jones became the first African ever to win the World Food Prize. He didn't import a solution. He fixed the one Africa already had.

Thank you @BolajiAkinboro. I am excited about what we will be able to do in support of Botswana with the Diamonds for Development Fund. We are committed to leverage, scale and impact. @duma_boko

Thank you @TTsheole_ . I appreciate your contributions and look forward our working together on the Board of Diamonds for Development Fund to execute on our vision and mandate to support Botswana.

🎊🎉👏🏻 @mfregene77

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (@AGRA_Africa) recognizes @AfDB_Group Officer in Charge for Agriculture, Human and Social Development @mfregene77 as "Climate & Productivity Champion" for work on agriculture science, resilience, and food security. afdb.org/en/news-and-events/…

At the #AFSF2026 Gala dinner, it was an honour to celebrate Dr. @mfregene77 as he received the Climate and Productivity Champion Award. As young Nigerians, we are fortunate to have excellent role models/mentors to look up to across every field of work 🔗afdb.org/en/news-and-events/…

AGRA names African Development Bank's Martin Fregene a Climate and Productivity Champion afdb.org/en/news-and-events/…

You celebrated your 80th birthday on the 9th. Today, I want the whole world to know just how much you mean to us, your children. Many happy returns, Prof. @RuthKOniango. You are celebrated always. Keep shining and inspiring. ❤️🙌🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

Celebrating 20 years of #Korea–#Africa partnership at the 8th #KOAFEC. Eight, turned sideways, becomes infinity (∞). Beyond partnership, towards co-prosperity. 🇰🇷🤝🌍 An infinite future, together. pulse.mk.co.kr/m/news/englis…

Nigeria’s Wheat Revolution: long seemed an unlikely candidate for wheat self-sufficiency, the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), backed by the African Development Bank, has shown that Nigerian farmers can produce wheat at commercially meaningful yields.

Shifting from Emergency Response to Systemic Resilience On the margins of #AFSForum2026, @AfDB_Group hosted a side event reflecting on the $1.5B African Emergency Food Production Facility (#AEFPF). The Facility linked emergency finance to certified seeds, fertilizer, climate tech, and national extension networks to support farmers when needed most. But while emergency responses save lives, they cannot replace long-term productive capacity. Speaking at the event, #Nigeria’s Ag Minister Senator @SenatorAKyari stressed that global shocks—like Black Sea supply disruptions—expose deep vulnerabilities. The success of #AEFPF showed what works. The priority now is ensuring these input, research, and delivery systems remain accessible long after a crisis ends. #AgriculturalFinance #FoodSecurity #AfricanAgriculture #AgriFoodSystems #AgriculturalTransformation #FoodResilience #FeedAfrica @Groupe_AfDB @AfDBPresident @gatesfoundation @GatesAfrica @CGIAR @IITA_CGIAR @TheAGRF @AGRA_Africa @afaasinfo @Afriscience @AFSTA_Seed @SeedFed @ReutersAfrica @Better_Seed @EuroseedsEU @ISTAseedtesting @ScienceAlly @ippcnews @AFP @ReutersWorld @AUC_CAADP @NEPAD_Agency @ccardesa_sadc @CORAFNews @COMESA_HQ @_AfricanUnion @ASARECA @FAO @SAA_africa @WorldBank @WorldBankAfrica @wef @ADB_HQ @isdb_group @jica_direct_en @giz_gmbh @mfregene77 @InnocentMus @EnockChikava @CGIAR_EMD @sagizaw_TAAT @RachelMulangala

With a delegation of students and faculty of the Law School of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration @gimpa_lawschool here to participate in a study tour of the WTO as part of the LL.M. programme on international trade and business law. Happy to see the interest and enthusiasm in getting to better understand the @wto.

Day 1 of the #TAAT Training workshop for Master Farmers workshop in #JigawaState went well! Governor Umar Namadi challenged extension trainers: Don’t just teach farmers; help them make more money! #TAATinNigeria #AgriTransformation #FoodSecurity #Extension #Empowerment #SmartAg #SustainableFarming #EngageTAAT #Scale4Impact #FeedAfrica @AfDB_Group @Groupe_AfDB @AfDB_Nigeria @AfDBPresident @gatesfoundation @GatesAfrica @CGIAR @CGIARScaling @IITA_CGIAR @aatfafrica @AfricaRice @ICARDA @ICRISAT @Cipotato @ILRI @IWMI_ @WorldFishCenter @FARAinfo @AGRA_Africa @NigeriaSasakawa @SAA_africa @afaasinfo @Afriscience @ReutersAfrica @ScienceAlly @FAO @WorldBank @ADB_HQ @isdb_group @IFAD @AGRA_Africa @OfficialJGSG @mfregene77 @InnocentMus @EnockChikava @CGIAR_EMD @simeonehui @TJKrupnik @BVanlauwe @NamukoloC @sagizaw_TAAT @RachelMulangala @windflow_ng @MedinatAdetunji

#TodayInHistory 8 years ago, IITA became the first institution to receive the prestigious Africa Food Prize in recognition of its outstanding leadership in agricultural research & its decades-long contribution to improving food security, nutrition, and livelihoods across Africa

Thank you Malado. Good to hear from you again.

Bravo Martin, well deserved ! 🥳👏🏾

Thank you so much Juan Lucas. CIAT gave me the training, inspiration and discipline that helped me implement activities for which this award was given. I am deeply grateful to you and to the institution.