{"id":18203,"date":"2026-06-20T13:02:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T13:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/iita-and-plateau-state-government-sign-mou-to-boost-agricultural-productivity-and-job-creation\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T16:51:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:51:57","slug":"iita-and-plateau-state-government-sign-mou-to-boost-agricultural-productivity-and-job-creation","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-and-plateau-state-government-sign-mou-to-boost-agricultural-productivity-and-job-creation\/","title":{"rendered":"IITA and Plateau state government sign MoU to boost agricultural productivity and job creation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><figure id=\"attachment_33081\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33081\" style=\"width: 820px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-33081 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Governor-Caleb-Mutfwang-of-Plateau-State.png\" alt=\"Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State (left) and the CEO, IITA Youth Agripreneurs, Ms Aline Mugisho after the MoU signing ceremony in Jos, Plateau State capital\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33081\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State (left) and the CEO, IITA Youth Agripreneurs, Ms Aline Mugisho after the MoU signing ceremony in Jos, Plateau State capital<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/\">IITA<\/a>\u2013<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cgiar.org\/\">CGIAR<\/a> and the Plateau State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance agricultural development and deepen food and nutrition security in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The collaboration aims to help the state adopt agricultural innovations and technologies, sustainable farming practices, and environmental sustainability, generating employment, increasing productivity, food and nutrition security, and economic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon Samson Bugama, who signed on behalf of the state government, said the partnership\u2019s objectives aligned with Governor Caleb Mutfwang\u2019s agenda for the state\u2019s agricultural transformation and food security. He affirmed that the \u201cstrategic partnership\u201d would promote sustainable farming practices that minimize environmental impact and ensure long-term productivity in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added, \u201cI am excited to sign this MoU, knowing it\u2019s a relationship that will benefit both IITA and Plateau State. I want to let you know that we are signing this agreement wholeheartedly and will see to it that our people benefit from this relationship with IITA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><figure id=\"attachment_33082\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33082\" style=\"width: 820px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-33082 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Ms-Adetola-Adenmosun.png\" alt=\"(L-R): Manager, Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement, IYA, Ms Adetola Adenmosun; Ms Mugisho; and Governor Mutfwang during the courtesy visit\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33082\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R): Manager, Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement, IYA, Ms Adetola Adenmosun; Ms Mugisho; and Governor Mutfwang during the courtesy visit<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CEO of IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA), Aline Mugisho, who led the IITA team and signed on behalf of the institute, noted that the partnership aligns with IYA\u2019s mission to promote food security, improve livelihoods, and support the youth as the catalyst for technologies and innovations in the agricultural sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said IITA would provide expertise and support in training, research, and technology transfer to help the state improve its agricultural sector over the next five years. Young people in the state would be engaged in productive agricultural ventures that would improve their livelihoods and contribute to food security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She stated, \u201cThe youth are central to the transformation we want to see in agriculture, and that is exactly our mandate; to transform agri-food systems across Africa, by creating sustainable employment in agriculture and building a qualified workforce so that young people can contribute viably to food security.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking when the IITA team visited him at the Government House in Jos, Governor Mutfwang applauded the visit, saying the fusion of IITA\u2019s innovations and the state\u2019s agricultural potential would result in enhanced productivity, job creation, and improved livelihoods for farmers in the state. He pledged the state government\u2019s commitment to the partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, highlights of the partnership include the training of 10,000 youths in various agricultural commodities within five years; provision of high-yield varieties of cassava, potatoes and other seedlings; establishment of agribusiness hubs to promote experiential learning and support agro-based industries; implementation of sustainable agricultural practices and exploration of financing models; including access to low-interest loans, for farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis partnership supports Nigeria\u2019s development priorities and positions Plateau State as a leader in agricultural innovation. We are confident it will deliver tangible benefits to our farming communities and contribute to transforming Nigeria\u2019s agricultural sector,\u201d the governor added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Contributed by Babatunde Ajaja<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IITA-CGIAR and the Plateau State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance agricultural development and deepen food and nutrition security in the state.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":18204,"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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