Intending to explore possible areas of partnership expansion and contribute to food security in Nigeria and on the continent, a Soy Excellence Center – U.S. Soy Program team recently paid a courtesy visit to IITA–CGIAR.
Speaking with the Soy Excellence Center team during the visit, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, highlighted the institute’s vibrant research history that has consistently contributed to Africa’s agricultural and food systems, adding that its pivotal role in addressing food insecurity in Nigeria and across Africa has made it possible to build partnerships that have advanced its cause over five decades.
DG Ehui said IITA-CGIAR has leveraged its proximity to Nigeria’s premier university to strategically foster collaborations with academic institutions and other partners while aiming for a food-secure continent.
He emphasized the importance of IITA’s alliance with other CGIAR centers and their unified agricultural research and development efforts. “We need to consistently be on our toes to evolve and work with national programs to avoid duplication and overlapping activities. We need to partner and work together to ensure the goal of delivering technologies derived from our research,” DG Ehui said.
The Soy Excellence Center team led by Michael David, while speaking about the partnership between both organizations under the IITA Business Incubation Platform (IITA-BIP), said this significant milestone, which led to IITA becoming a host partner for the Soy Excellence Center in the soybean program, has been instrumental in advancing soybean research and development.
While discussions centered on capacity building and potential areas for further research collaboration, DG Ehui expressed IITA-CGIAR’s openness to expanding partnerships and welcoming interested parties committed to achieving food security.
IITA-CGIAR Soybean Breeder Abush Abebe elaborated on IITA’s efforts in technical backstopping and developing improved soybean varieties tailored for tropical climates. He said IITA-CGIAR’s research is focused on improving food security and smallholder farmers’ livelihood. “Our breeding efforts in soybean has contributed significantly to food systems on the continent,” he added.
While the visit aimed at increasing partnership areas, the critical role of collaborative research in addressing food security challenges was also explored.
With continued collaborative efforts, especially in scaling innovation, IITA-CGIAR and its partners aim to create sustainable solutions for a food-secure future in Africa and worldwide.
Contributed by Timilehin Osunde
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