CRISPR Technology – Genome engineering

30 Oct

Celebrating the third cohort of the CRISPR Course for the next generation of African genome editors

October 30, 2025January 12, 2026Rose Okech CRISPR Technology No Comments

The third cohort of the Africa Plant Breeding Academy (AfPBA) CRISPR Course has officially graduated, marking another milestone in strengthening Africa’s capacity for advanced crop improvement technologies. This cohort hosted eleven scientists from five African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.

CRISPR Course fellows and facilitators during the graduation ceremony

The training, hosted at the IITA–CGIAR Biotechnology Platform in Nairobi, on the ILRI campus and at CIFOR-ICRAF, is part of a multi-partner initiative of the African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC), in collaboration with IITA, the University of California, Davis, and the Innovative Genomics Institute at UC Berkeley. The course provides African researchers with both theoretical and practical knowledge in the use of CRISPR-Cas systems for precise and efficient genome editing in plants.

Class III course participants and their instructors.

07 Feb

IITA and partners launch AfPBA CRISPR Class III Training to empower Africa’s Crop Improvement Scientists

February 7, 2025July 22, 2025Evans CRISPR Technology No Comments

IITA–CGIAR, a member of the African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC) in partnership with the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) at UC Berkeley, has officially launched the third cohort of its renowned African Plant Breeding Academy (AfPBA) CRISPR training program in Nairobi, Kenya. The program equips African molecular scientists with cutting-edge knowledge, skills, and tools to revolutionize agriculture across the continent.

The AfPBA CRISPR Class III, commencing on 20 January 2025, will provide 11 selected scientists from five African countries with advanced training in the know-how of genome editing using CRISPR-Cas technology. The initiative is designed to empower participants to develop more resilient crops to climate change, pests, and diseases—critical for addressing Africa’s food and nutritional security challenges.