It´s official! The CASS project continues in its third funding phase. With support from Gates Agricultural Innovations, we continue in our mission to improve cassava yield for smallholder farmers. FAU and all its Phase 2 partners have commited themselves for another 5 years of cassava research. Additionally, our new partners Prof. Dr. Ari-Pekka Mähönen from Helsinki University, Finland and Prof. Dr. Lee Sweetlove and Dr. Edward Smith from Oxford University, UK join us to support the work in cassava secondary root growth and metabolic modeling. A special welcome to AP, Lee, and Ed! Great to have you!

The entire team met in beautiful Kloster Kappel to close out Phase 2 and to officially kick-off CASS Phase 3. In addition to the individual work package discussions, fruitful group discussion were had concerning how to approach the planned metabolic modeling and how to continue cassava field testing in the future. 

Unfortunately, we also had to say goodbye to Kathrine Kahn, our previous project manager from the Bill- and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMBF), as the project continues under Gates Agricultural Innovations, a non-profit subsidiary of the BMBF. We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Kathy! Kathy always had the success of the project, and especially progress for smallholder farmers in mind.