IITA is not moving out of Nigeria.
This is the definite statement made by Dr Lakshmi Menon, IITA Deputy Director General for R4D Support, on speculations that the institute will soon be moving its operations from the country.
“We are well established in Nigeria and at this point in time we have no intention of moving out [of the country],” she emphasized on Tuesday during the visit by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolatanta.
“We have no plans of moving the headquarters of the institute from Nigeria. We have taken efforts to build up this place. Besides, we have been working closely with the Nigerian government and will continue to do that with the Ministry of Agriculture, universities and the national partners,” she explains.
Established in 1967, IITA has remained committed to providing solutions to Africa’s problems in eradicating hunger and poverty, thereby generating income and creating wealth for resource-poor farmers.
The institute has over the years provided jobs to hundreds of graduates across its stations in Nigeria.
Menon says the institute, with its headquarters in Ibadan, and various research stations throughout Africa also proffers answers to challenges confronting farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
“This is done through research activities such as the development of new varieties for specific purposes or new technologies. Our m andate crops include, cassava, yam, banana, plantains, maize, cocoa and soybean and cowpea,” she says.
Mr. Bolanta says the police comm and will continue to provide adequate security to the institute, recognizing its vital role to the country’s agricultural development.
He says, “This is because IITA is important not only to Nigeria but also to sub-Saharan Africa. IITA is actually the home of agricultural research.”
He also directed the Oyo State police comm and to post more personnel to IITA to ensure the security of its scientists and the smooth flow of its research activities.
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Pour plus d'informations, veuillez contacter :
Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org
Chargé de la communication d'entreprise (Afrique de l'Ouest)
Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org
Chargé de communication d'entreprise (international)
Bureau de la communication
Siège de l'IITA
Ibadan, Nigéria
URL : www.iita.org
À propos de l'IITA
L'Afrique fait face à des problèmes complexes qui pèsent lourdement sur l'agriculture et la vie des populations. Nous développons des solutions agricoles avec nos partenaires pour lutter contre la faim et la pauvreté. Nos recherches pour le développement (R4D), maintes fois récompensées, reposent sur une réflexion ciblée et autorisée, ancrée dans les besoins de développement de l'Afrique subsaharienne. Nous travaillons avec des partenaires en Afrique et au-delà pour réduire les risques pour les producteurs et les consommateurs, améliorer la qualité et la productivité des cultures, et générer de la richesse grâce à l'agriculture. L'IITA est une organisation internationale R4D à but non lucratif fondée en 1967, dirigée par un Conseil d'administration et soutenue principalement par le CGIAR.
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