{"id":16636,"date":"2026-06-20T12:52:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/germplasm-health-unit-launches-single-access-point-platform\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T19:04:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T19:04:22","slug":"germplasm-health-unit-launches-single-access-point-platform","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/germplasm-health-unit-launches-single-access-point-platform\/","title":{"rendered":"Germplasm Health Unit launches single access point platform"},"content":{"rendered":"<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IITA\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/research\/facilities\/germplasm-health-unit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unit\u00e9 de sant\u00e9 du germoplasme<\/a>\u00a0(GHU) commissioned the \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/ghu.iita.org\/ghu\/index.jspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GHU Online<\/a>\u201d platform on 31 July at IITA Ibadan as a comprehensive resource for managing research services and data on germplasm health.\n\nThe newly launched online software will serve as a single access point to various services, simplifying the service request procedure, allowing users to manage the data, including uploading and downloading data files. It provides real time progress monitoring at various stages and enhances overall operational efficiency. The online tool was developed using the Liferay\nPortal (open source software) jointly by GHU and the IT Unit of the Data and Information Management Unit (DIMU). It is accessible to all IITA users in all the stations\/regions using the existing user login and password.\n\nInaugurated by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/koper-hilde\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hilde Koper<\/a>, Deputy Director General (DDG), Corporate Services;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/asiedu-robert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Asiedu<\/a>, Director, R4D West Africa; and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/omwansa-tonny\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tonny Omwansa<\/a>, Director, R4D Research Support, GHU Online will be a gateway for the international exchange of germplasm.\n<div id=\"attachment_2685\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 806px\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1024_DSC_1218.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2685\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1024_DSC_1218.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of Tonny Omwansa, Director, Research Support; Hilde Koper, Deputy Director General, Corporate Services; and Robert Asiedu, Director, West Africa Hub, and Lava Kumar, Head Germplasm Health Unit, launch GHU Online.\" width=\"806\" height=\"469\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2685\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L-R: Tonny Omwansa, Director, Research Support; Hilde Koper, Deputy Director General, Corporate Services; and Robert Asiedu, Director, West Africa Hub, and Lava Kumar, Head Germplasm Health Unit, launch GHU Online.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nKoper said \u201cThis online system will improve operational efficiency and reduce service costs. I am pleased to inform you that all support service units are also moving in a similar direction.\u201d\n\nWhile encouraging the efforts of GHU in developing the software, Omwansa said, \u201cThis technology was developed internally. It is actually timely and in the context of Research Support, we are looking for how to support the broader institutional agenda.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis platform is an excellent advancement that will facilitate and significantly raise the efficiency of our interaction with users of GHU services,\u201d said Asiedu.\n\nConcurring,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/abberton-michael\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Michael Abberton<\/a>, IITA focal point of the CGIAR Genebank Platform, added: \u201cThis is a good step forward; IITA is a center of excellence for germplasm health in CGIAR. This development has been copied by other centers; some developments have been brought in by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/iita-staff\/kumar-lava\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lava Kumar<\/a>, who has been leading the GHU module in the CGIAR system; we have respect for the work that he is doing. The Genetic Resources Center (GRC) works very closely with GHU.\u201d\n<div id=\"attachment_2686\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1024_DSC_1184.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2686\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1024_DSC_1184.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of Lava Kumar introducing a new platform that is expected to enhance transactional efficiencies.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"601\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2686\" \/><\/a>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2686\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lava Kumar introducing a new platform that is expected to enhance transactional efficiencies.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\u201cOur next step is to link it to the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.naqs.gov.ng\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service<\/a>\u00a0(NAQS) system; they would have access to the platform, streamlining documentation processing, which will help reduce transaction time and costs. IITA has the potential to develop programs like this in-house; it is very simple. We will organize user training courses to adopt this easy-to-use system,\u201d stated Lava Kumar, GHU Head, as he laid down the steps towards moving the online platform forward. He also thanked Kenneth Oraegbunam who programmed the online platform.\n\nGHU is responsible for ensuring phytosanitary compliance in line with various national and international (IPPC) standards during the movement of biological materials, primarily germplasm of clonal and seed crops of IITA held in GRC, as well as from the breeding programs of IITA\u2019s mandate crops. This process requires facilitation of import and export (phytosanitary certificate) permits, production of virus-free germplasm, active growth stage inspection, seed health testing to ascertain germplasm freedom from the regulated quarantine pests and pathogens, seed treatment, and post-entry inspection. GHU\u2019s core business has been to offer these functions to IITA researchers as \u201cresearch services on demand\u201d.\n\nThe GHU Online is accessible with IITA login and user name at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/ghu.iita.org\/ghu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/ghu.iita.org\/ghu<\/a>.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IITA\u2019s Germplasm Health Unit (GHU) commissioned the \u201cGHU Online\u201d platform on 31 July at IITA Ibadan as a comprehensive resource for managing research services and data on germplasm health.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":16637,"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 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