Banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato and yam (collectively referred to as roots, tubers, and bananas or RTB crops hereafter) are major contributors to poverty alleviation and food and nutrition security in sub- Saharan Africa (SSA). RTB crops provide nearly 50% of total caloric intake in D.R. Congo, Ghana, Tanzania and Rwanda, 30% in Uganda, and 25% in Africa’s most populated country, Nigeria.

Given their role to buffer local food systems against external shocks such as conflicts disrupted global commodity supply chains, climate change, and forecasted population growth, unprecedented domestic production and value of production growth is predicted for these crops.

Our overarching purpose is to contribute, through the development of market-preferred, gender-sensitive, and climate-resilient varieties, to poverty alleviation, food and nutrition security, and overall quality of life of smallholder farmers, processors, and consumers in rural and urban areas.