The WAVE Regional Center of Excellence is governed by a robust leadership structure that ensures transparency, scientific excellence, and strategic alignment with our mission to secure food production in Central and West Africa. Our leaders are dedicated to fostering collaboration among member countries and international partners.
KEY Achievements
Working to address the pathogens threats to root and tuber crops, in particular to cassava, WAVE has achieved many milestones including:
Improved understanding of vectors and hosts
ActiveThe prevalence of whitefly populations in cassava fields in the phase 1 WAVE member countries is recorded, as whiteflies are known to spread cassava viruses. Cassava leaf samples were analyzed using harmonized laboratory protocols. The large dataset produced allows comparisons across all WAVE countries and has confirmed that in West Africa, CMD is primarily spread through infected cuttings, though whitefly still plays a role. This implies that training farmers on the use of clean planting material could lead to significant improvements.
Monitoring and mapping of hotspots and virus-free areas
ActiveGeo-referenced field surveys were carried out in all phase 1 WAVE member countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo). These included field assessments of the health status of cassava fields using a mobile survey app to ensure high quality data...
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
ActiveMulti-year partnership for surveillance systems
Project Overview
WAVE operates across 10 Central and West African countries, creating a robust network of scientific hubs, university partners, and governmental agricultural agencies working together to combat viral plant diseases. This multi-year partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on strengthening surveillance systems for early detection and rapid response to viral plant disease outbreaks.
The project implements cutting-edge diagnostic technologies, trains local agricultural extension workers, and establishes a regional early warning system that connects farmers, researchers, and policymakers in real-time. By leveraging mobile technology and participatory surveillance methods, WAVE enables communities to report suspicious plant symptoms and receive immediate guidance on disease management.
Key achievements include the development of molecular diagnostic kits for cassava brown streak disease, the establishment of satellite diagnostic laboratories in partner countries, and the training of over 5,000 farmers and extension agents in disease identification and management practices.
The partnership also supports capacity building through graduate student scholarships, postdoctoral fellowships, and collaborative research projects between WAVE and leading international agricultural research institutions. This ensures sustainable knowledge transfer and long-term institutional strengthening across the region.
Through this collaboration, WAVE has significantly reduced crop losses due to viral diseases, improved food security for millions of smallholder farmers, and established a model for regional cooperation in plant health surveillance that can be replicated in other agricultural systems.