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BULLETIN 1
Maisha Makutano, Kenya’s new edutainment series, features ILRI’s gender and livestock research
CGIAR; October 12 2025
When researchers from the gender team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) met the team working on Maisha Makutano, an edutainment soap opera tackling challenging social themes from financial inclusion to reproductive health, there was plenty to talk about.
As the production team was defining the social themes to highlight in the new series, ILRI researchers were trying to solve another problem: what kinds of interventions could help women agripreneurs succeed in their livestock businesses?
Too often, gender norms hold them back, restricting access to resources, credit, better breeds, and sometimes even respect from their families and communities.
One potential solution is Women in Business.
When researchers from the gender team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) met the team working on “Maisha Makutano”, an edutainment soap opera tackling challenging social themes from financial inclusion to reproductive health, there was plenty to talk about.
As the production team was defining the social themes to highlight in the new series, ILRI researchers were trying to solve another problem: what kinds of interventions could help women agripreneurs succeed in their livestock businesses? Too often, gender norms hold them back, restricting access to resources, credit, better breeds, and sometimes even respect from their families and communities. One potential solution is Women in Business.
“Women in Business is a business model that engages women vets and para-vets to provide women chicken farmers from remote areas with good breeds, animal health services, and markets,” explains Alessandra Galiè, principal scientist and ILRI gender team lead.
Initially developed as a pilot in Tanzania and Ethiopia, the model has been scaled by the Tanzanian Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, adopted by AKM Glitters, a private hatchery, and was identified by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for scaling to two other African countries before the organization was defunded.
The Maisha Makutano team agreed that including the Women in Business model in the TV series would be a perfect way to discuss the gender norms women in agribusiness face, from lack of capital to push-back from the community if she starts earning more than her husband, boyfriend, father, or brother. Produced by The Mediae Company, Maisha Makutano is a spinoff of “Makutano Junction”, which premiered in 2006 and ran for 15 seasons, reaching 8.6 million viewers through Citizen TV.
“The series is deeply rooted in research, ensuring that its themes resonate with local audiences while sparking real conversations and behavior change,” producer Rahma Seif explained.
See more https://www.ilri.org/news/maisha-makutano-kenyas-new-edutainment-series-features-ilris-gender-and-livestock-research
As the production team was defining the social themes to highlight in the new series, ILRI researchers were trying to solve another problem: what kinds of interventions could help women agripreneurs succeed in their livestock businesses?
Too often, gender norms hold them back, restricting access to resources, credit, better breeds, and sometimes even respect from their families and communities.
One potential solution is Women in Business.
When researchers from the gender team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) met the team working on “Maisha Makutano”, an edutainment soap opera tackling challenging social themes from financial inclusion to reproductive health, there was plenty to talk about.
As the production team was defining the social themes to highlight in the new series, ILRI researchers were trying to solve another problem: what kinds of interventions could help women agripreneurs succeed in their livestock businesses? Too often, gender norms hold them back, restricting access to resources, credit, better breeds, and sometimes even respect from their families and communities. One potential solution is Women in Business.
“Women in Business is a business model that engages women vets and para-vets to provide women chicken farmers from remote areas with good breeds, animal health services, and markets,” explains Alessandra Galiè, principal scientist and ILRI gender team lead.
Initially developed as a pilot in Tanzania and Ethiopia, the model has been scaled by the Tanzanian Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, adopted by AKM Glitters, a private hatchery, and was identified by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for scaling to two other African countries before the organization was defunded.
The Maisha Makutano team agreed that including the Women in Business model in the TV series would be a perfect way to discuss the gender norms women in agribusiness face, from lack of capital to push-back from the community if she starts earning more than her husband, boyfriend, father, or brother. Produced by The Mediae Company, Maisha Makutano is a spinoff of “Makutano Junction”, which premiered in 2006 and ran for 15 seasons, reaching 8.6 million viewers through Citizen TV.
“The series is deeply rooted in research, ensuring that its themes resonate with local audiences while sparking real conversations and behavior change,” producer Rahma Seif explained.
See more https://www.ilri.org/news/maisha-makutano-kenyas-new-edutainment-series-features-ilris-gender-and-livestock-research
BULLETIN 2
Complete Genome Assembly Unlocks Potential of Northern Wild Rice
Researchers have successfully assembled a near-complete genome of northern wild rice (Zizania palustris), a resilient and nutritionally rich aquatic grass native to North America. This achievement, published in The Crop Journal, provides an unprecedented genetic blueprint that could accelerate breeding programs and enhance global food security.
The fragmented nature of genomic data hindered earlier genetic research. Now, by leveraging state-of-the-art sequencing technologies, a research team has reconstructed a 1.41 gigabase (Gb) genome with approximately 97% completeness, finally unlocking the species' full genetic potential.
The near-complete genome assembly has already yielded significant discoveries, offering critical insights into the plant's unique adaptations. The researchers found that the wild rice genome contains key expansions in gene families related to sphingolipid metabolism and DNA replication. These expansions may be the genetic basis for the plant's enhanced stress tolerance and ability to adapt to colder environments compared to cultivated rice (Oryza sativa). The study also revealed the intricate complexity of the wild rice genome, which has expanded through the proliferation of repetitive DNA elements, or long terminal repeats, suggesting a genome that has undergone rapid change over a short evolutionary time.
This complete genetic map serves as a life design blueprint for breeders, transforming wild rice from an understudied resource into a cornerstone of crop innovation. The traits encoded within the northern wild rice genome—particularly those conferring cold tolerance, pathogen resistance, and enhanced nutrient biosynthesis (like protein, vitamins, and flavonoids)—now present valuable targets for introgression into cultivated rice varieties. By using this genomic resource through biotechnology or hybridization, breeders can develop stronger, more nutritious, and climate-resilient rice strains, which experts emphasize is essential for fortifying global food systems against environmental change.
For more details, read the article in Seed Today.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21544
The fragmented nature of genomic data hindered earlier genetic research. Now, by leveraging state-of-the-art sequencing technologies, a research team has reconstructed a 1.41 gigabase (Gb) genome with approximately 97% completeness, finally unlocking the species' full genetic potential.
The near-complete genome assembly has already yielded significant discoveries, offering critical insights into the plant's unique adaptations. The researchers found that the wild rice genome contains key expansions in gene families related to sphingolipid metabolism and DNA replication. These expansions may be the genetic basis for the plant's enhanced stress tolerance and ability to adapt to colder environments compared to cultivated rice (Oryza sativa). The study also revealed the intricate complexity of the wild rice genome, which has expanded through the proliferation of repetitive DNA elements, or long terminal repeats, suggesting a genome that has undergone rapid change over a short evolutionary time.
This complete genetic map serves as a life design blueprint for breeders, transforming wild rice from an understudied resource into a cornerstone of crop innovation. The traits encoded within the northern wild rice genome—particularly those conferring cold tolerance, pathogen resistance, and enhanced nutrient biosynthesis (like protein, vitamins, and flavonoids)—now present valuable targets for introgression into cultivated rice varieties. By using this genomic resource through biotechnology or hybridization, breeders can develop stronger, more nutritious, and climate-resilient rice strains, which experts emphasize is essential for fortifying global food systems against environmental change.
For more details, read the article in Seed Today.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21544
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
OsSPL10 negatively regulates seedling salt tolerance through OsJAZ-mediated jasmonate pathway in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Jilin Chen, Tong Lan, Tongtong Dong, Qiaoling Liao, Xiaoxiao An, Chao Fang, Xiaoxia Yang, Xinle Cheng, Kai Fan, Xiaofang Xie, Haitao Cui, Weiren Wu & Tao Lan
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; 10 October 2025; vol.138; article 269
Jilin Chen, Tong Lan, Tongtong Dong, Qiaoling Liao, Xiaoxiao An, Chao Fang, Xiaoxia Yang, Xinle Cheng, Kai Fan, Xiaofang Xie, Haitao Cui, Weiren Wu & Tao Lan
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; 10 October 2025; vol.138; article 269
Abstract
Soil salinity severely inhibits rice growth. While the SBP-box gene OsSPL10 is known to negatively regulate salt tolerance, its mechanism remains unclear. Since jasmonate (JA) mediates plant stress responses, we investigated the link between OsSPL10 and JA in rice salt tolerance. Disrupting OsSPL10 reduced the shoot Na+/K+ ratio under salt stress, likely explaining the enhanced tolerance in Osspl10 mutants. As leaves are highly sensitive to Na+ toxicity, maintaining a low Na+/K+ ratio is critical for survival. Notably, ten OsJAZ genes (JA repressors) were upregulated in Osspl10 mutants. We found that OsSPL10 directly suppresses certain OsJAZ genes (including OsJAZ9, known to regulate certain ion transporters), by binding to their promoters. These findings suggest that OsSPL10 negatively modulate salt tolerance via the OsJAZ-mediated JA pathway, maintaining ion homeostasis. This study reveals new molecular mechanisms of rice salinity response, emphasizing the interplay between transcription factors and hormonal signaling.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-025-05055-y
