Soybean Innovation Lab

11/21/2025

Africa’s Soy Import Demand: What the Data Shows

We’re continuing our 3-part series co-authored by Peter Goldsmith, Guy Allen, and Mike Doherty, looking at whether Africa could become the next major export market for U.S. soy.

This week’s article breaks down key data on Africa’s rising reliance on soy imports:

• Africa imports the soybean equivalent of 2.1B bushels/year (2010–2022 average).
• Soybean grain imports are growing at 8% CAGR.
• Processors operate at 40–60% overcapacity, needing 200M bushels to keep plants running.
• Processor demand is increasing almost 2× faster than palm oil imports and 3× faster than soybean oil.

These trends show that Africa’s import needs are large — and structurally embedded in its processing and consumption systems.

At the Soybean Innovation Lab, we see a fast-emerging market where understanding today’s data will shape tomorrow’s opportunities.

👉 Read the full article: https://tinyurl.com/article-farmdoc-sil2
Next week: deep-dives into Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.

11/18/2025

Late diagnosis costs money — and it happens faster than most teams realize.

Every week of delay in diagnosing soybean diseases can turn a small infection into a major outbreak, quietly reducing yield and shrinking profit margins.

Diseases like soybean rust account for 36.3% of the soybean yield gap in Southern Africa*. Late responses also lead to higher management costs, disrupted production plans, and weaker supply reliability.

That’s why the Soy Doctor™ Program exists.
Partners receive:
1️⃣ A season-long disease management plan
2️⃣ Hands-on training to identify symptoms early
3️⃣ Real-time, in-season support

⏱️ Every day counts when your business depends on performance.
📋 Complete the Soy Doctor™ Interest Form: https://tinyurl.com/soydoctor-interestform

Connect directly with Dr. Harun Muthuri Murithi, one of Africa’s leading experts in soybean disease management.

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Validated by science. Applied for field results.

*Omondi et al., 2024. Sustainable Agriculture, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-024-00039-9.

11/17/2025

Africa’s Food & Oil Demand Is Shifting: The World Should Pay Attention

We’re excited to share a new article co-authored by Peter Goldsmith, Guy Allen, and Mike Doherty: “Should U.S. Growers Look to Africa as the Next Big Market? Understanding Africa’s Food and Oil Demand Trends.”

Africa’s rapid urban growth, rising incomes, and evolving diets are reshaping the continent’s demand for food, edible oil, and value-added soybean products — creating one of the most significant emerging opportunities for global soybean stakeholders.

Key points from the analysis:
•The structural rise in demand for food and vegetable oil across Sub-Saharan Africa
• The gap between local production and consumption
• The market, logistical, and regulatory factors that shape long-term viability
• Why understanding Africa’s diversity is key for any business seeking sustainable market entry

At the Soybean Innovation Lab, we believe that building value in the soy value chain depends on combining global insight, local ex*****on, and science-driven solutions.

Read the full article: https://tinyurl.com/article-farmdoc-sil
And consider: What role will Africa play in your supply chain or business strategy over the next 5–10 years?

11/13/2025

The soybean season is approaching in Zambia!

SIL research shows that using fresh, high-quality seed delivers a strong return — at least 3x your investment.

One variety stands out: GNA Emerald, one of Zambia’s top-performing soybean varieties.

Recently tested through the Pan-African Variety Trials™ (PAT™), Emerald achieved 2.25 MT/ha — 1.79× the national average (1.26 MT/ha, 2023) and outperformed other top varieties by up to 504 kg/ha.

Developed by Good Nature Agro and validated through SIL’s PAT™, Emerald shows how credible data and science turn promising genetics into market-ready products.

Looking for access to high-quality seed?
SIL can connect you directly with the GNA sales team, known for delivering high-purity, high-performance soybean seed across the country.

https://tinyurl.com/PATinterest
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Validated by science. Built for market adoption.

11/06/2025

Protect Your Soybean Investment This Season! 🌱

Soybean rust can be devastating — but it’s actually highly manageable.

Don’t take the chance! Start working with the Soy Doctor™ today and be assured your soybean crop will be a success.

Even with strong genetics, without early pest and disease diagnosis, top-performing varieties can underdeliver. The Soy Doctor™ Program, developed under SIL’s science-driven approach through the Pan-African Variety Trials™ (PAT™), helps detect, manage, and prevent disease threats before they impact your yield.

📋 Fill out the Soy Doctor™ Interest Form [https://tinyurl.com/soydoctor-interestform] to connect directly with Dr. Harun Murithi — Africa’s leading expert in soybean disease and pest management.

From Data to Diagnosis – Validated by science. Applied for field results.

10/28/2025

Behind Every Result, There’s a Proven Process.

Every successful product release starts long before the data is published — it starts with the process behind it.

The Pan-African Variety Trials™ (PAT™) were built to ensure that every dataset leads to reliable, comparable, and actionable results across Africa.
That’s what turns trials into trusted outcomes.

Through a balance of formality and partnership, PAT™ combines:
✅ Rigorous protocols that guarantee scientific credibility.
✅ Ongoing coordination with local partners to ensure precision in every step.
✅ Continuous learning — refining methods to keep improving results over time.

The result?
A learning system that keeps improving — turning field experience into smarter methods, stronger data, and better outcomes year after year.

📩 Ready to experience a proven process for real results? [https://tinyurl.com/PATinterest]
📧 Or contact Eric Sedivy directly at esedivy2@illinois.edu

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Validated by science. Built for market adoption.

10/10/2025

🌱 From field trials to business impact.

Across Africa, the Pan-African Variety Trials™ (PAT™) are helping agribusinesses, seed companies, and breeders turn reliable data into real market growth.

✅ Launch new, locally adapted soybean varieties.
✅ Strengthen market position with proven performance data.
✅ Reduce risk in licensing and commercialization.

PAT™ connects science and business — helping partners grow with confidence.

👉 Learn more or request a short meeting here: https://tinyurl.com/PATinterest
📧 Direct contact: esedivy2@illinois.edu

10/01/2025

🌱 Find your next product with the Pan-African Variety Trials (PAT™)!

Since 2019, Soybean Innovation Lab has released 27 soybean varieties through PAT™, with 25 more in the pipeline. Our cooperative, multi-location trials help partners validate varieties across Africa and turn data into products.

What you get with PAT™:
✔️ Side-by-side trials across diverse ecologies
✔️ Trial design & entry list handled by SIL
✔️ Commercialization roadmap & timeline to stay on track
✔️ Support for national registration & licensing

Ready to find your next product?

Fill out this short interest form: [https://tinyurl.com/PATinterest]
Prefer direct contact? Email Eric Sedivy, esedivy2@illinois.edu
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🔎 Validated by science. Built for market adoption.

10/01/2025

🚜 Transforming agriculture in Malawi 🌍

Through the Shire Valley Transformation Program, more than 42,500 hectares are being irrigated in southern — bringing opportunities to nearly 50,000 smallholder farmers.

The Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL) is proud to support this effort, helping to establish as a national crop for protein and oil. This creates new chances for local production and access to international markets.

🌱 During the Soybean Tour Malawi 2025, we joined partners and stakeholders to showcase progress and highlight the many opportunities for Malawi’s soybean sector.

📖 Read more: https://tinyurl.com/soybean-tour-malawi

Malawi’s Lower Shire Valley is changing.

10/01/2025

🌱 Important update from the Soybean Innovation Lab 🌱

Earlier this year, SIL was scheduled to close following the end of USAID funding. For more than a decade, this support allowed SIL to pioneer soybean research and market development across Africa — helping drive annual soybean growth of 10% since 2015.

Thanks to a $1.02M anonymous gift to the University of Illinois, SIL has been able to reopen its doors, bring back part of the team, focus research in southern Malawi, and continue advancing soybean development while exploring new sustainable funding opportunities.

📖 Read the full story here: https://tinyurl.com/soybeaninnovationlab-update

In February, the USAID-funded Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign