Collaboration across institutions has become standard, leading to geometric success in many organizations. The Africa Project Development Centre (APDC), a training institution handling projects designed to build the innovative capacity of potential entrepreneurs across Africa, enjoyed such partnership as the organization’s staff participated in a training exercise anchored by IITA–CGIAR. As a leading agricultural project delivery and development organization, IITA-CGIAR prioritizes capacity development, engaging the APDC staff in a week-long instructional exercise at the Institute’s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria, from 3 to 9 October.
The training was designed to expand the team’s technical know-how to run development projects in the agricultural sector. The facilitators dealt with budgeting and finance, resource mobilization, communication and knowledge management, youth in agribusiness, hospitality and travel services, and project management.
APDC Finance and Administration Service Manager, Adannaya Okpara, revealed that IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga provided the platform for their young organization, which is about four years old, to learn from a mother institution as old as IITA. The leaders of both organizations have a working relationship they are happy to leverage. She said, “APDC is harnessing IITA as a strategic capacity development partner to offer leadership and management development programs that would enhance effective project development.” They also hope to gain knowledge from the different units of IITA, including its activities, modes of operation, and tested processes engaged to achieve the institution’s goal of enriching African Agriculture.
Head of IITA Project Development and Administration Unit (PDAU), Kayode Awobajo, emphasized the importance of project development to the team. He described it as a tool to anticipate possibilities and obstacles that may arise along a project path and to provide clear paths to achieving the project’s goal. He further encouraged the team to maximize the training to enhance productivity, especially in resource mobilization and better implementation of projects.
The Head of Hospitality and Travel Services (HOSTRAS), Bridget Mangulama, highlighted the unit’s activities, including the organizational structure, funding, and general management, which exposed them to the operations and demands of hospitality management.
APDC Economic Research and Resource Mobilization Manager, Amaka Chime, said APDC is an organization focused on nurturing business ideas and building capacity in potential young entrepreneurs in various aspects of the agro-industry and the creative arts to create employment and improve livelihoods.
Chime commended IITA for its organizational structure and notable successes recorded in the past five decades. The team appreciated IITA for sharing their vast wealth of experience during the training.
Contributed by: Omolola Dare and Folake Oduntan
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