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This meeting is rescheduled for 20-24 September 2021. Please click www.istrc-ab.org for registration to symposium and further details.
Lusaka, Zambia, 7-10 September 2020
The International Society for Tropical Root Crops-Africa Branch (ISTRC-AB), symposia serves as a unique platform and a non-profit making professional society for interaction among scientists from around the world working on all tropical root and tuber crops (Sweet-potato, Cassava, Potato, Andean roots and tubers, Yams and Aroids). The Society was created to foster, stimulate, and support any activity leading to the general improvement of the world tropical root and tuber crops production and utilization.
The Society organizes regional symposia every three years. The last three were held in DR Congo (2010), Ghana (2013) and Tanzania (2017). A platform where African and world-leading Scientists, academia, young next-generation scientists, policymakers, donors, emerging farmers, private entrepreneurs, and funding agencies of research for development, working on tropical root and tuber crops meet. At this symposium, they share current research outputs, decide future patterns, and make wide-ranging decisions on the position of tropical root and tuber crops on the African continent and global agenda.
The 14th International Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops -Africa Branch (ISTRC-AB) will hold in Lusaka, Zambia on 7-10 September 2020. The theme is: “Exploring climate smart, nutritious and healthy root and tuber crops for African business solutions”
This symposium will provide once more an opportunity for scientists from throughout Africa and around the world to come together for networking, exchange information and ideas, and to initiate new collaborative studies. Several renowned scientists, young researchers, and other stakeholders are expected to attend this important meeting.
The proposed symposium sub-themes as it relates to climate smart, nutritious and healthy root and tuber crops are:
- Genetic resources use and management
- Breeding of root and tuber crops deploying molecular tools
- Root and tuber crops pests and diseases management under climate change
- Commercial Sustainable Seed System
- Agronomy/Cropping systems and weed management
- Postharvest technologies, value chains, and market opportunities
- Nutrition of root and tuber crops for food and nutrition security
- Enhancing innovative impact and partnerships
- Policy challenges and opportunities for market linkages
For more details please click here: ISTRC-AB 2020 First Announcement Zambia
Venue: White Sands Hotel, Dar Salam, Tanzania
Date: 5-10 March, 2017
Proposed Theme: The theme of the symposium is “Expanding Collaboration, Catalyzing Innovation of Root Crops for Accelerating Africa’s Economic Growth”.
The proposed sub-themes are:
- Managing priority genetic resources, cropping systems pests and diseases
- Commercial Seed System, Agronomy and weed management
- Postharvest technologies, value chains and market opportunities
- Enhancing innovative impact through partnerships
- Mobilizing Investors for Sustainable Root & Tuber Crop Research and Development.
IMPORTANT DATES
- 30 October, 2016 – Deadline for submission of abstract
- 30 November, 2016 – Intimation of abstract acceptance
- 15 January, 2017 – On-line registration of participants
- 1 February, 2017 – Submission of full Papers /Participation in Exhibition
- 15 February, 2017 – Submission of Power point
- 5 March, 2017 – Arrival of Participants
- 6-10 March, 2017 – Conference
For more information CLICK HERE.
Learn more about the ISTRC activities in your region. Please see Volume 27 of the ISTRC newsletter.
Please note the revised dates:
Registration - World Congress on Root & Tuber Crops, Nanning, China, 18-22 January 2016
The ISTRC in partnership with the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century will host the World Congress on Root and Tuber Crops in Nanning, Guangxi, China, 18-22 January 2016. This is a high profile event.
The President of the ISTRC, Dr Keith Tomlins, Professor of Food Science at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, has been invited by the President and Members of Indian Society for Root Crops & Director and Staff of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute to deliver the Fifth H.H. SREE VISAKHAM THIRUNAL Endowment Lecture on the topic "Let them eat root and tuber crops: Is consumer acceptance important?"
This will be held at the Millennium Hall, Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Sreekariyam, Thiruvananthapuram, India on Saturday May 17 2014
Applications invited for new position at the International Potato Centre, Kampala, Uganda regarding a Value Chain/Post-harvest Specialist (Ref.: 13-66 VCS/IRS/SSA). Application deadline is January 2014
The ISTRC in partnership with the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century will host the World Congress on Root and Tuber Crops in Nanning, Guangxi, China Oct 5-10, 2015. Further announcements will follow so please do visit this page again for updates.
Country: Accra, Ghana
Theme: Competitiveness of Root Crops for Accelerating Africa's Economic Growth;
Dates: 30 September to 5 October, 2013
Further announcement will follow in the new year.
We wish you all merry Xmas and prosperous New Year.
Prof. L. O. Sanni
Professor of Food Science & Technology
Department of Food Science & Technology
Federal University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta, PMB 2240, 110001,
Ogun State, Nigeria
Website: www.unaab.edu.ng
We are delighted to announce that the 18th International Triennial Symposium of the ISTRC (International Society for Tropical Root Crops) will be in Cali, Colombia from 22nd to 25th October 2018. It will be hosted by CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture). A feature for both CIAT (http://ciat.cgiar.org) and the ISTRC (www.istrc.org) is that both were formed in 1967 and recently celebrated their 50th anniversaries. The ISTRC is delighted that CIAT are hosting this important symposium and very appreciate their commitment and support.
This symposium will be an excellent opportunity for those interested in root and tuber crops from around the world to come together to share and compare knowledge and expertise. In particular, it will be an opportunity for Colombia and other Latin American countries to show case their expertise and for workers from other parts of the world to learn and experience first-hand.
We will be announcing more information soon. If you would like any more information, please contact Dr Luis Augusto Becerra Lopez-Lavalle (
The first global conference on yams (Dioscorea spp.) will explore the recent innovations on yam
Prof. Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) (
Organising Institutions
- National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria, http://www.nrcri.gov.ng
- International Institute of Tropical Institutions (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria http://www.iita.org
- Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, Abuja, Nigeria http://rmrdc.gov.ng
- Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Nigeria, http://fiiro-ng.org
- Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin, Nigeria, https://www.nspri.gov.ng/index.php/en/
- National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, Ilorin, Nigeria, http://ncam.gov.ng
- National Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Abuja, Nigeria http://www.nafdacnigeria.org
- Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Nigeria, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Federal-College-of-Agriculture-Akure/109730199056516
- Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, NIFST, Nigeria, http://www.nifst.org
- Farm Management Association of Nigeria, https://www.ifma.network/links/nigeria/
- Ekha Agro Industries, https://nigeriaagribusinessregister.com/listing/cassava/plot-15-isaac-stan-close-off-wempco-road-ogba-industrial-area-ogba-ekha-agro-farms/
- Matna Starch, Akure, Nigeria, https://matnafoods.com.ng/
- Thai Farm International, Ososa, Nigeria, https://nigeriaagribusinessregister.com/listing/cassava/ososa-ogun-state-hq-office-nigu-park-37-warehouse-road-apapa-thai-farms-nigeria-ltd/
- Ogun State Cassava Revolution
- New Nigerian Foundation, VI, Lagos, Nigeria, http://www.nnfng.org
- Farms and Infrastructure Foundation, Abuja, https://www.fifnig.org/
- SLiden Africa, Abeokuta, Nigeria, https://www.facebook.com/slidenafrica/
Venue: University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), Ogun State, Nigeria
Date: Sunday 23rd – Friday 28th September 2012
Proposed Theme
The Roots and Tubers of Development and Climate Change-Tropical roots and tuber crops are essential to meeting global food security needs, improving staple foods of world's poor and creating new opportunities in global food supply.
This is the latest program of the ISTRC 2012 ABEOKUTA SYMPOSIUM as of 21st September 2012.
Please click below to access it.
The University of Greenwich has announced that it has appointed the President of the International Society of Tropical Root Crops, Professor Andrew Westby, to be the next Director of the Natural Resources Institute (NRI).