In the week of 7 September, a two person team from USAID and AGRA visited IITA–Kalambo station to learn more about the agricultural development activities going on there and to explore areas of collaboration.
The USAID team consisted of Dr Peter Ewell (a consultant) and Mr Augustin Kidima Ngeleka of USAID Kinshasa. The visitors were taken around the station and interacted with key staff and members of the IITA Kalambo Youth Agripreneurs (IKYA). The team visited the processing unit, fabrication unit, exhibition center, greenhouses, and laboratories. They expressed amazement at what they saw of the facilities and ongoing work at the site. In the laboratories, the team asked many questions on rhizobia strain tests, the supply of inoculants, crop responses to inoculants especially by common beans and soybean, market issues and prices, etc. The visitors were happy with the responses that in his closing remarks, Dr Ewell said, “It has been very inspiring to see such a well-designed and well-managed program. The site is spectacular.”
A few days later, another team from the African Green Revolution for Agriculture (AGRA) visited the Station. The team was composed of Dr Joseph DeVries, AGRA’s Director for Africa’s Seed Systems Program, and Dr Chris Assanzi, AGRA’s Program Officer based in Goma, DRC. Dr DeVries presented on AGRA’s activities in DRC. These included organizing training on crop breeding, funding projects on breeding new crop varieties, developing and strengthening private sector capacity on seed systems, and developing strong partnership networks to improve on the quality and quantity of improved seed accessibility. After visiting the processing unit, AGRA representatives expressed amazement at the diversity of soybe anderived products and the explanations provided by the IKYA members. They said they would advocate and lobby with their financial backers so that soybean could also be included as part of their m andate crops as well. After the visit, the team said they were overwhelmed by the investments made, congratulated those with the vision to build the site, and expressed their willingness to partner with IITA-Kalambo. To share in the IITA-Kalambo vision, the team discussed important areas of collaboration, such as soil sample analysis, demonstration of new technologies to farmers, training of agronomists, and tests of laboratory experiments.
For more information, please contact:
Catherine Njuguna, c.njuguna@cgiar.org
About IITA, www.iita.org
IITA is one of the world’s leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Its award-winning research for development (R4D) approach addresses the development needs of tropical countries. IITA works with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1967 and governed by a Board of Trustees. IITA works on the following crops: cowpea, soybean, banana/plantain, yam, cassava, and maize. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.
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