International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has honoured one of its staff, Dr Mercy Diebiru-Ojo, as the 2025 Africa Food Prize Laureate, for her groundbreaking work in cassava and yam seed systems.
Diebiru-Ojo, a scientist, adopted the Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) technology.
Dr Simeon Ehui, Director-General of IITA, said at a news conference in Abuja that the celebration was a landmark achievement in African agricultural innovation.
Prof Mary Abukutsa-Onyango from Kenya and Diebiru-Ojo from Nigeria emerged as the winners of the 2025 Africa Food Prize at the recently held Africa Food System Forum in Dakar.
According to him, the conference aims to provide the media with an opportunity to engage with the African laureate, key stakeholders, and explore the impact of SAH on food security, as well as highlight the role of African-led science in transforming the agricultural sector.
Ehui said that the opportunity would help amplify the story of African innovation and the transformative power of agricultural research.
“The prize, regarded as the continent’s foremost recognition for agricultural innovation, carries a US$100,000 award split between the two honourees,” said Ehui. “Diebiru-Ojo leadership has been pivotal in advancing SAH to cultivate cassava and yams, which are two of Africa’s important staples.’’
Ehui identified SAH as a clean, nursery-based method that rapidly multiplies disease-free plants at scale, thereby lowering and shortening the time to field and streamlining the seed system end-to-end.
He further stated that SAH, as a breakthrough approach, was currently being deployed with partners to move and improve varieties more quickly and reliably to farmers. He said the award was important to Africa due to the speed and impact of SAH.
“SAH accelerates the pipeline from laboratory to the field, helping countries respond faster to pests, diseases, and climate shocks with clean and high-performing varieties. The second reason is food security at scale,” Ehui explained. “When cassava and yam planting material is clean and abundant, yields rise, losses decrease, and household resilience improves, which is tangible nutrition and income for millions.”
He added, “The third reason is that SAH is a model of partnership. This success is built with national research systems, seed companies, farmer organisations and donors. Diebiru-Ojo embodies the best of IITA scientific rigour, entrepreneurial drive, and deep commitment to farmer impact.”
Ehui said that beyond her research and system work at IITA, Diebiru-Ojo has championed early-generation seed enterprises and partnerships that have made quality multi-materials available on time, at volume, and at an affordable price to farmers.
He said the prize committee’s decision to honour two women innovators this year was a powerful message about the future IITA is building.
Ehui, who commended the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) and others for their research development and production, pledged that the SAH technology would be scaled up for use in turmeric, ginger, sweet potatoes, and other crops.
According to him, this is an opportunity to expand collaboration between IITA and other research institutes or centres that work on roots and tuber crops, such as seed.
Diebiru-Ojo thanked the IITA chief for providing her with the opportunity to attain the exalted position. She dedicated the award to the institute, the country and the continent, describing it as a win for all.
The awardee stated that they were able to win the prize for being the first to adopt a technology from a U.S. company for cassava.
“‘The first crop we adapted was cassava, and we moved to yams. We began using it in a small laboratory, where the primary purpose of the technology was to provide planting materials for cassava. One of the major reasons this technology gained recognition is that it is scalable and replicable. It is no longer just in Nigeria; it is being used in over 15 African countries.
“Many of these countries depend on cassava as a staple food, and with the pressures of climate change and food security concerns, cassava is seen as a resilient crop.
“There is a huge interest in the technology. We have already deployed it to several countries, with more coming on board. This drew the attention of the award organisers, who saw the real-life impact of the technology on farmers, producers, industry, and even governments,” Diebiru-Ojo said.
