The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture has launched Africa’s first soybean speed breeding facility in Zambia, aimed at accelerating crop improvement and strengthening food systems across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The facility introduces speed breeding technology, which enables researchers to produce multiple crop generations within a year by optimising environmental conditions such as light, temperature and humidity. The approach is expected to reduce the time required to develop improved soybean varieties from six to eight years to four to five years.
IITA said the initiative is designed to address key constraints in soybean production, including slow breeding cycles, low yields and vulnerability to pests and diseases such as soybean rust, which continues to affect farmers across the region.
The institute noted that soybean has become an increasingly strategic crop in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting nutrition, livestock feed and agro-industrial development, while contributing to rural livelihoods and income generation.
Speaking at the inauguration, Zambia’s Director of Agriculture, Chizumbna Shepande, said the facility would enhance the country’s capacity to respond to rising global demand for soybean and support national production targets.
She said the initiative aligns with Zambia’s goal of producing one million tonnes of soybean by 2030, adding that achieving this target would depend on improved seed systems and access to high-performing, climate-resilient varieties.
Director of IITA’s Southern Africa Hub, David Chikoye, said the facility will focus on developing early- to medium-maturing, high-yielding and disease-resistant soybean varieties tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers.
He added that the initiative will strengthen regional breeding systems through collaboration with national research institutions, universities and partners, including the Soybean Improvement Network supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
According to IITA, the facility will also support research and capacity building across the agricultural ecosystem, helping to increase the availability of improved seed varieties, enhance productivity and improve resilience to climate-related stresses.
Officials said the intervention is expected to boost farmer incomes, expand agribusiness opportunities and contribute to food security, as well as support broader efforts to drive sustainable agricultural transformation in the region.
