Six thousand four hundred (6, 400) genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes have been released into the environment in Burkina Faso as part of the Target Malaria Project. This activity occurred on 1^st July 2019, in Bana village - about ten kilometers from Bobo-Dioulasso, southwest of the country. To understand the purpose and issues of this operation, Jean-Yves Nébié interviewed Dr Abdoulaye Diabaté, Senior Medical Entomologist and Principal Investigator of the Target Malaria project. They talked about the objectives of the release, its impact on malaria incidence, and the safety of the population.

Explant type and hormone regime influences somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of cassava

Despite its importance, cassava production is faced by a myriad of biotic/abiotic constraints. Genetic transformation capable of mitigating these challenges has as a prerequisite, availability of robust regeneration systems. This study evaluated the effect of explant type and hormone regime on somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of Kenyan cassava cultivars. The optimized regeneration protocol can be coupled with mutation breeding or genetic transformation to improve the cassava germplasm.

Plant DNA‐barcode library and community phylogeny for a semi‐arid East African savannah

Applications of DNA barcoding include identifying species, inferring ecological and evolutionary relationships between species, and DNA metabarcoding. This study collected, identified, and vouchered plant specimens from Mpala Research Center in Laikipia, Kenya, to develop an extensive DNA‐barcode library for a savanna ecosystem in equatorial East Africa. This plant DNA barcode library and community phylogeny will be a valuable resource for future investigations.

A crop wild relative inventory for Southern Africa: a first step in linking conservation and use of valuable wild populations for enhancing food security

Successful conservation strategies require that taxa are prioritized because resources for planning and implementation are always limited. In this study, the authors created a partial checklist of crop wild relatives (CWR) that occur in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and identified the taxa of highest priority for regional conservation planning based on their importance for food and economic security.