{"id":15077,"date":"2026-06-20T12:40:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:40:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/grc-expands-facilities-for-cryobanking-and-conservation\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T21:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T21:15:27","slug":"grc-expands-facilities-for-cryobanking-and-conservation","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/grc-expands-facilities-for-cryobanking-and-conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"GRC expands facilities for cryobanking and conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"On 19 May,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/\">IITA<\/a>\u00a0Genetic Resources Center (GRC) inaugurated its revamped, ultra-modern gene bank and office complex at the Institute\u2019s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria. The new building provides more workspace and facilities for cryobanking\u2014the long-term conservation of crops such as cassava, maize, plantain and banana, cowpea, soybean, yam, and some of the important underutilized crops of Africa.\n<div id=\"attachment_7922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GRC-expands1.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7922\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GRC-expands1.jpg\" alt=\"GRC expands facilities for cryobanking and conservation\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7922\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7922\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">IITA DG Nteranya Sanginga commissioning the new GRC building. Photo: IITA<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nDuring the celebration,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/koper-hilde\/\">Hilde Koper<\/a>, IITA Deputy Director General for Cooperate Services, hailed the building project as a huge milestone, achieved despite the COVID-19 pandemic. \u201cIITA keeps moving forward and improving with inner energy like solar energy and modern office blocks, which is a good achievement for everybody,\u201d she said.\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/abberton-michael\/\">Michael Abberton<\/a>, Head of GRC, said the building\u2019s design is ecologically friendly with solar power to reduce electricity costs. \u201cI hope this will attract people who have an interest in genetics, genetics resources, conservation resources, and utilization for food security in Africa,\u201d he stated.\n<div id=\"attachment_7923\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GRC-expands-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7923\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GRC-expands-2.jpg\" alt=\"GRC expands facilities for cryobanking and conservation\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7923\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7923\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Director IITA-West Africa and GRC Head, Michael Abberton gives DG Sanginga a tour of the new facilities. Photo: IITA<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nDuring an interview,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/quader-waheed\/\">Waheed Quader<\/a>, Head of Facilities Management Services (FMS)\u00ad\u00ad\u2014a principal facilitator of the project\u2014shared his experience throughout the building process. He explained how challenging it was to build the structure on an existing terrace. \u201cOur main aim was to build a greener side of the structure as we are moving to more efficient building,\u201d he said.\n\nOlaniyi Oyatomi, IITA Seed Bank Manager, explained that the building project is in line with IITA\u2019s mission of putting the right facilities together towards fulfilling the goal of fighting hunger and poverty in Africa. He also highlighted the challenge for staff to utilize these facilities to move forward and make IITA genebank the best in CGIAR.\n\n&nbsp;\n<div id=\"attachment_7924\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GRC-expands3.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7924\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GRC-expands3.jpg\" alt=\"GRC expands facilities for cryobanking and conservation\" width=\"625\" height=\"411\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7924\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7924\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Building hallway illuminated by a transparent roof. Photo: IITA<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/sanginga-nteranya\/\">Nteranya Sanginga<\/a>, IITA Director General, congratulated Abberton, his team, and FMS on their success. He summarized his philosophy on the power of leadership in two major pillars: people and infrastructure. He stated that people are \u201cbuilt\u201d first because it is the people who will build the infrastructure. \u201cOnce you have people with confidence, they start producing. Hence, they will need more equipment and space, which led to this expansion,\u201d he added.\n\nClosing the celebration, Kofoworola Ajani, Research Technician, appreciated the DG for the opportunity given to the Unit for expansion and encouragement that contributed to the project\u2019s success.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On 19 May, IITA Genetic Resources Center (GRC) inaugurated its revamped, ultra-modern gene bank and office complex at the Institute\u2019s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":15078,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[1158],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[32],"news-type":[],"hub":[61],"crop":[],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[199],"class_list":["post-15077","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-cryobanking-and-conservationgenetic-resources-centeriitaiita-news-no-2589ultra-modern-gene-bank","location-nigeria","hub-western-africa","item-year-199"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - 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