Soybean Innovation Lab

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

01/21/2025

Apply now for the Visiting Senior Research Specialist - Seed Quality position at the Soybean Innovation Lab.

This role focuses on advancing soybean seed quality research and managing day-to-day operations within SIL. Key responsibilities include designing experiments, collaborating with international partners to enhance seed practices, publishing technical reports, and representing SIL in global events. The position involves international travel and a commitment to promoting sustainable agriculture and food security.

Requirements:
☑️ Master’s degree in agriculture, agronomy, or related field (Ph.D. preferred).
☑️ 5+ years of seed quality research experience, with expertise in tropical soybean systems.
☑️ Strong communication, data analysis, and project management skills.

Be a part of our mission to transform lives globally.

Learn more and apply by clicking the link: [https://tinyurl.com/ace-seed-quality-position]

12/20/2024

🌱 What can SMART Farms teach you? Find out in SIL’s 2024 Summary!

Soybean production may seem challenging, but since 2015, the SMART Farm system has provided a practical “classroom” where farmers and organizations can learn the critical lessons for success.

Key lessons include:
✅ How to plant soybean to maximize productivity.
✅ The most important input to invest in with limited resources.
✅ Effective solutions to combat seasonal pests and diseases.

The impact of SMART Farms in numbers:
🌍 21 participating countries.
👨‍🌾 80,000 farmers supported.
🌱 60,000 hectares planted with soybean.
SMART Farms are transforming lives, proving that Sub-Saharan Africa can meet the demand for soybean and improve farmer livelihoods.

Read the full summary to see what’s working for tropical soybean producers: [https://tinyurl.com/Newsletter-SIL-SMARTFarm-out]

12/13/2024

Take Your Extrusion Skills to the Next Level!

Join us at Makerere University, Uganda, for a 2.5-day course designed to elevate your knowledge of extrusion technology for soybean processing—focused on human food applications, not feed!

📅 Dates: February 19-21, 2025
🎓 Led by Dr. Mian Riaz, a global leader in extrusion technology.
🤝 Network with industry experts and unlock new product innovation opportunities.

Seats are limited, so act fast! Scholarships available for early applicants.

➡️ Register here: [https://soybeaninnovationlab.illinois.edu/soy360-extrusion-course]

11/07/2024

Didn’t have a chance to join our webinar yesterday?

No problem! In this video, we’re sharing key feedback and insights from attendees who highlighted their main takeaways. Their perspectives offer valuable reflections that could inspire your own approach.

For those who missed the live session, the full recording is available here: https://tinyurl.com/livestreaming-sentinel-plots

11/06/2024

We are live! 🌐
Join us now for our insightful webinar on rust management. Don’t miss this chance to expand your knowledge and connect with skilled specialists.

Click the link to join: https://tinyurl.com/livestreaming-sentinel-plots

11/04/2024

Harun Muthuri Murithi, Disease and Pest Management Program Manager of the Soybean Innovation Lab and speaker at our upcoming webinar, invites you to a special event this Wednesday.

WEBINAR: Know Your Enemy - Sentinel Plots as an Early Warning System for Rust Management. This webinar will cover the importance of sentinel plots for early detection of soybean rust, featuring expert insights on rust identification and effective management strategies.

🎙️ Speakers: Andrew Baluku, Harun Murithi, Edward Sikora, and Emerson M. Del Ponte.
📅 Date: November 6
🕒 Time: 7am CT, 8am CET, 10am BRT, 3pm CAT, 4pm EAT
🔗 Click the link to register: https://tinyurl.com/SIL-webinar-sentinel-plots

Save the date and join us!
We look forward to your presence!

10/28/2024

🌱Boost Your Soybean Rust Management Skills with Our Expert Webinar!

Soybean rust is a serious threat, with potential yield losses of up to 80%. But with early detection, you can make proactive, informed decisions to protect your crops. Join our webinar: "Sentinel Plots - An Early Warning System for Rust Management," on November 6, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. CT. 🕗

👥Panel of Experts:
• Harun Murithi - Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL), Kenya
• Andrew Baluku - Asili Agriculture, Uganda
• Edward Sikora - Auburn University, USA
• Emerson M. Del Ponte - Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil

📚 Essential Insights:
• Setting up sentinel plots for early detection
• Recognizing the signs of rust early
• Optimizing management strategies for better yield protection

🔗Registration is open!
Don’t wait—secure your spot today: https://tinyurl.com/SIL-webinar-sentinel-plots and prepare to learn from the leading experts in the field.

Let’s work together to build resilient soybean fields across Africa and the world! 🌍