The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing agricultural transformation across Africa.
This pledge follows a recent visit by a high-level AfDB delegation to IITA headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria, where leaders from both institutions engaged in discussions aimed at addressing the pressing challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and poverty on the continent.
The delegation, led by Dr. Abdul Kamara, AfDB Director General for Nigeria, and Dr. Chukwuma Ezedinma, AfDB Chief Agro-Industry Officer, met with Dr. Simeon Ehui, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa.
The discussions focused on aligning research efforts with scalable innovations and tackling critical challenges in African agriculture.
In his welcome address, Dr. Ehui expressed enthusiasm for the continued collaboration between IITA and AfDB.
“Beyond our professional relationship, I am proud of Dr. Kamara’s leadership in this critical role for our shared vision of a food-secure continent,” he said.
He further highlighted IITA’s commitment to agricultural research in areas such as cassava and maize development, food safety technologies, and youth empowerment initiatives through the institute’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program.
Dr. Kamara acknowledged IITA’s contributions to African agriculture, emphasizing the need to transform research results into practical, scalable solutions to address current challenges.
He also called for innovative strategies, highlighting the potential of future programs like TAAT 3 and stressing the importance of integrating gender equality and climate resilience into agricultural initiatives.
“It’s not just about funding; it’s about ensuring tangible outcomes,” he added.
Dr. Ezedinma commended IITA for its progress over the years and called for a clear and structured approach to expanding agricultural innovations.
He pointed out that lessons from past initiatives, such as the State Project Implementation Units (SPIUs) and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), offer guidance for organizing future programs.
These frameworks, he noted, are instrumental in developing strategies that bring meaningful and sustainable improvements to agricultural practices.
As part of the visit, the AfDB team toured IITA’s facilities to see firsthand the range of technologies the institute has developed.
The delegation explored innovations in soil management, climate-smart agriculture, nutrition, and seed systems, all designed to address the challenges facing African agriculture.
The discussions highlighted the importance of engaging with governments and policymakers to ensure these technologies are widely adopted and have a sustainable impact.
Dr. Kamara commended IITA’s efforts to involve young people in agriculture through its agribusiness programs.
He stressed the need to create a conducive environment for young entrepreneurs, including access to business-friendly loan rates and supportive environments that enhance agricultural value chains.
Dr. Ehui stressed the importance of partnerships in promoting the technologies and practices that can transform Africa’s food systems.
He pointed out that collaboration with state actors and policymakers is essential to ensure these innovations reach the communities that need them most.
“Expanding innovation requires collaboration with governments and policymakers to ensure these advances reach the ground level where they can make the greatest difference,” he explained.