{"id":18440,"date":"2026-06-20T13:05:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T13:05:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/ivorian-civil-servants-explore-agricultural-innovations-to-strengthen-development-partnerships\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T16:46:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:46:44","slug":"ivorian-civil-servants-explore-agricultural-innovations-to-strengthen-development-partnerships","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/ivorian-civil-servants-explore-agricultural-innovations-to-strengthen-development-partnerships\/","title":{"rendered":"Ivorian civil servants explore agricultural innovations to strengthen development partnerships"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"<\/a>
The Ivorian delegates, led by the President of the Association of International Civil Servants of Cote d’Ivoire, Madame Ursule Tape, commending IITA DG, Dr Simeon Ehui and IITA staff for their professionalism and warm reception.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nDelegates from the Association of International Civil Servants of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire paid a study visit to IITA<\/a>\u2013CGIAR<\/a> on 15 December, marking a significant step toward deepening collaboration in agricultural development, youth empowerment, and technology-driven solutions across West Africa.\n\nThe delegation was warmly received by Dr Sim\u00e9on Ehui<\/a>, Director General of IITA and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, who welcomed the team and encouraged them to fully explore IITA\u2019s wide-ranging research, innovations, and partnerships aimed at transforming African agriculture. The visit provided an opportunity for the delegates to familiarize themselves with IITA\u2019s mandate, crops, institutional structure, and scalable technologies that could complement existing agricultural systems in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire.\n\nDuring an interactive session, Abdoulaye Tahirou, Acting Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery, presented an overview of IITA\u2019s organizational structure and its 2024\u20132030 Strategy, highlighting the Institute\u2019s focus on impact at scale, partnerships, and sustainable food systems. He also shared insights into IITA\u2019s work with young people through the IITA Youth in Agribusiness (IYA) program, which equips youth with agribusiness skills, market-ready technologies, and pathways to profitable enterprises.\n\n
\"Ivorian<\/a>
The Ivorian delegation and IITA team following boardroom discussions and interactive engagements on IITA\u2019s innovations, systems, and technologies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThe delegates were introduced to IITA\u2019s innovations and digital tools, including the Seed Tracker, which enhances transparency and efficiency in seed systems, as well as ongoing solutions in banana research and other mandate crops critical to food security and livelihoods in Africa. These discussions sparked strong interest from the delegation, particularly around opportunities for joint partnerships in youth training, leveraging the reach and proven successes of the IYA model.\n\nA guided tour of IITA\u2019s facilities further enriched the visit. At the Cassava Semi-Autotrophic Screenhouse, the delegation learned about IITA\u2019s rapidly growing community-based seed systems for cassava, designed to ensure the availability of high-quality planting materials for farmers. The team also visited the Cassava Processing Unit, where they gained insights into IITA\u2019s innovations in cassava processing, utilization, and mechanization\u2014key areas for value addition and agribusiness development.\n\nThe tour continued to the vegetable screenhouses managed by IITA Youth in Agribusiness, where the delegates explored practical, market-oriented agribusiness models that generate quick returns for young entrepreneurs. Overall, the tour showcased innovative, scalable investment options with strong potential for adoption in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire.\n\nExpressing her appreciation, Ursule Tape, President of the Association of International Civil Servants of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, commended IITA for the warm reception and the professionalism of the staff engaged throughout the visit. She noted that the experience offered valuable lessons and practical ideas that could support agricultural transformation initiatives back home.\n\nIn his closing remarks, Dr Ehui encouraged the delegation to take advantage of the full range of opportunities available during their visit, including an engagement with IITA\u2019s Sage Ambassador and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as they continue to explore pathways for impactful collaboration.\n\n \n\nContributed by Folake Oduntan<\/em>\n\n \n
\n\nRelated Stories:<\/strong>\n