The CGIAR Global Director of Business Operations and Finance, Marion Barriskell, and Senior Director of Facilities Management, Security, and Administration, Gail Amare, visited the Ibadan headquarters of IITA–CGIAR recently to explore some of the Institute’s best practices for adoption by other CGIAR centers. This is part of CGIAR’s efforts to improve its centers’ efficiency to create a highly effective streamlining of work processes.
The visit also focused on increasing resources to enhance collaboration among the CGIAR centers and the different strategies various units use to accelerate technologies.
IITA Deputy Director General Corporate Services Hilde Koper introduced the team to the activities of the Institute, including the newest hub—Sahel hub.
Barriskell and Amare commended IITA’s effort in bringing excellent collaborations with other CGIAR centers through its unending research. They also stated their curiosity in understanding IITA’s best practices for adoption in other centers to increase its efficiency. “We hope to have a collective sharing of ideas and information exchange to improve the quality of research in the CGIAR systems.”
IITA Director of Finance Dennis Mulenga shared some of the unit’s major objectives and strategic implementation plan, including enhancing operational efficiency, building and sustaining donors’ trust, and improving customer satisfaction. “In the process of getting our work done, we ensure it complies with international requirements.”
The visiting team also met with units under the Corporate Services directorate of IITA, including Security, Forest Center, Facilities Management Services (FMS), and Supply Chain. They also met with staff under the Partnerships for Delivery directorate—Communication Office, Capacity Development Office (CDO), IITA Youth in Agribusiness (IYA), and Project Development and Administrative Unit (PDAU), as well as representatives from Research for Development (R4D). The Unit Heads shared their objectives and how they have helped the Institute grow.
Expressing her satisfaction with IITA’s activities, Barriskell encouraged the units to keep up with their standards. It will create more opportunities for business partners and help stakeholders make more informed decisions.
As one of the ways to improve the CGIAR system, Barriskell suggested that setting up a working group would help address the funding issue while adjusting the modules would help minimize funding. Amare also spoke about the need for mutual facilities among the CGIAR centers.
Moreover, IITA Associate Scientist Titilayo Falade recommended that there should be joint capacity development across CGIAR centers involving different work streams to make One CGIAR thrive more in its areas of research.
Contributed by Anita Akinyomade
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