With over 300 million people living below the poverty line in developing countries depending on root, tuber, and banana crops for food and income, particularly in Africa, the need to combine efforts and align research innovation scaling in RTB systems was the focus of discussion during a 4-day working visit by the International Potato Center (CIP) Director General Dr Simon Heck, who led a team including Deputy Director General Hugo Campos, Regional Director for Africa Joyce Maru, and Head of Agronomy Paul Demo to IITA headquarters on 25 March.
Receiving the CIP team in Ibadan, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, expressed excitement about the visit, stating that it will lay the foundation for common areas of interest within the CGIAR in Africa.
The CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) is working globally to harness the untapped potential of crops like cassava, potato, sweet potato, orange-fleshed sweet potato, taro, banana, and plantain to improve food security, nutrition, income, and climate change resilience of smallholders, especially women and youth. Collaboration within CGIAR research centers is pivotal to ensuring the program’s success.
Discussions during the meeting centered on the need to mobilize complementary expertise and resources, avoid duplication of efforts, and create synergies to increase research benefits for smallholder farmers, policymakers, consumers, and other actors in the RTB systems.
Speaking during the meeting, DG Heck said the CIP team is on a mission to strengthen existing ties on the continent, “We would like to mobilize support with IITA and other CGIAR centers while jointly exploring the elements for achieving a food-secure future, especially in roots and tuber crops.”
Adding that when CGIAR centers like CIP and IITA combine efforts, it becomes a force multiplier, laying the groundwork for impact in efforts like the RTB Breeding initiative.
Exploring joint areas of interest, Campos highlighted how both institutes can achieve impact in cryopreservation, genebanks, and biodiversity.
In agreement with all the key areas addressed during the meeting, Dr Ehui committed to using his role as CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa to ensure that combined efforts generate impact, especially in scaling technologies, policy engagement at the regional level, and resource mobilization.
In the days ahead, IITA and CIP will realign research and regional engagement efforts for greater impact in root and tuber systems in Africa.
Contributed by Timilehin Osunde
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