{"id":16297,"date":"2026-06-20T12:50:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/us-ambassador-to-nigeria-visits-iita-encourages-ecotourism-in-the-country-and-promotes-youth-in-agribiz-program\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T19:40:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T19:40:11","slug":"us-ambassador-to-nigeria-visits-iita-encourages-ecotourism-in-the-country-and-promotes-youth-in-agribiz-program","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/us-ambassador-to-nigeria-visits-iita-encourages-ecotourism-in-the-country-and-promotes-youth-in-agribiz-program\/","title":{"rendered":"US ambassador to Nigeria visits IITA; encourages ecotourism in the country and promotes youth-in-agribiz program"},"content":{"rendered":"\u201cFor too long, Nigerians have lived in one place and forgotten what it is like to live in another,\u201d said W. Stuart Symington, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, during a visit with his team to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IITA<\/a>\u00a0headquarters, Ibadan, Oyo state, 15-16 April.\n\nSymington noted the lack of knowledge about nature among the people, precisely because they have not been exposed to Nigeria\u2019s biodiversity and conservation of natural resources.\n<div id=\"attachment_3513\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 876px\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Ambassador-listening-attentively-during-Evelyn-OhanwusiE28099s-presentation-on-Youth-in-Agribusiness.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3513\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Ambassador-listening-attentively-during-Evelyn-OhanwusiE28099s-presentation-on-Youth-in-Agribusiness.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of the Ambassador listening attentively during Evelyn Ohanwusi\u2019s presentation on Youth in Agribusiness.\" width=\"876\" height=\"585\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3513\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-3513\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Ambassador listening attentively during Evelyn Ohanwusi\u2019s presentation on Youth in Agribusiness.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nThe Ambassador was received by key members of the IITA management team who made presentations about some of the programs and projects that are being carried out by the institute.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/dashiell-kenton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ken Dashiell<\/a>, Deputy Director General, Partnership for Development (DDG-P4D) spoke about programs in Borno State and the Zero Hunger Forum.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/koper-hilde\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hilde Koper-Limbourg<\/a>, Deputy Director General, Corporate Services, spoke about the Forest Center;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/asiedu-robert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Asiedu<\/a>, Director, Research for Development Western Africa Hub, detailed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usaid.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USAID<\/a>\u00a0activities in Nigeria;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/ohanwusi-evelyn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Evelyn Ohanwusi<\/a>, Head, Youth in Agribusiness, made a presentation on IITA Youth in agribusiness activities.\n\nThe ambassador and his team were taken on a tour of the institute\u2019s forest and some of the campus facilities which include\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/aflasafe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aflasafe<sup>TM<\/sup><\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iitabip.org\/product\/nodumax\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NoduMax<\/a>, cassava fields, and youth in agribusiness activities. He expressed his excitement on the changes and growth that have taken place since his last visit to the institute the year before.\n\nStressing the need for people to visit IITA and its ecotourism facilities, he said \u2018\u2018I am thrilled to be here. I want you to know how important IITA is; every part of the world needs to produce not just food but the opportunity and hope for the youth. Here in IITA, the young entrepreneurs, who have university degrees and who could not find jobs are now creating their own jobs\u2014in agribusiness, running successful businesses, and are putting other people to work. All thanks to the Director General and his team for their advice and coaching.\u201d\n<div id=\"attachment_3514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Ambassador-Symington-bird-watching-with-DG-Sanginga-and-members-of-IITAE28099s-bird-watching-team.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3514\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Ambassador-Symington-bird-watching-with-DG-Sanginga-and-members-of-IITAE28099s-bird-watching-team.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of Ambassador Symington bird watching with DG Sanginga and members of IITA\u2019s bird watching team.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"720\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3514\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-3514\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ambassador Symington bird watching with DG Sanginga and members of IITA\u2019s bird watching team.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nTo wrap up his visit, Ambassador Symington held a press briefing where he spoke passionately to the youth and Nigerians as a whole to embrace the natural endowment of the country.\n\nHe also encouraged the youth to invest in ecotourism, by frequently going on a tour of Nigeria\u2019s tourist reserves such as the Obudu Cattle Ranch in Rivers state, Yankari Park in Bauchi State, IITA forest, to mention a few. He said that if the people don\u2019t develop the habit of appreciating these gifts of nature, \u201cthe identity of Nigeria would be lost.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you do not have Nigeria, if you lose Nigeria, you will not have a Nigeria. You cannot have Nigerians without the place. I hope you take time to look at the forest, and the trees and simply say Nigeria, \u2018wow\u2019, because if you are not careful, the \u2018wow\u2019 of Nigeria will be gone, lost forever,\u201d he said.\n\nThe visit ended with the Ambassador, his team, and guests joining the IITA and Ibadan bird watchers to look at the special birds in IITA. IITA is a Birdlife International Important Bird Area.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cFor too long, Nigerians have lived in one place and forgotten what it is like to live in another,\u201d said W. Stuart Symington, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, during a visit with his team to IITA headquarters, Ibadan, Oyo state, 15-16 April.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":16298,"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":[1748],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[32],"news-type":[],"hub":[61],"crop":[],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[196],"class_list":["post-16297","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-iita-news-no-2430","location-nigeria","hub-western-africa","item-year-196"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/16297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news-item"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/16297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25479,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/16297\/revisions\/25479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"science-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/science-area?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"hub","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"crop","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/crop?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"impact-areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/impact-areas?post=16297"},{"taxonomy":"item-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/item-year?post=16297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}