On 22 January, the IITA–CGIAR Deputy Director General Partnerships for Delivery (P4D), Dr Kenton Dashiell, accompanied by a team, paid a courtesy visit to Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. Highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties to advance agricultural research, capacity building, and sustainable development in Nigeria.
In his opening remarks, Aletheia University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Amos Onasanya, warmly welcomed the IITA team and provided an insightful overview of the university’s mission and activities. He emphasized Aletheia’s unique approach to education, which integrates moral values, academics, technology, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and ICT into its curriculum. Prof Onasanya explained that every university graduate has at least four distinct skills, including agricultural expertise, to contribute to eradicating hunger and driving Africa’s economic growth.
The partnership with IITA, leveraging the institute’s extensive research portfolio and proven successes in innovation scaling, will enable Aletheia University to focus on tropical agriculture as a cornerstone for research, publications, and capacity development for students and staff.
In his address, Aletheia University’s Chancellor and Founder, Major General S. A. Awosanya (Rtd), lauded IITA’s dedication to combating food insecurity across Africa. He shared his vision for establishing Aletheia as a transformative force within Nigeria’s academic system, designed to foster sustainability and innovation. He expressed optimism that the collaboration with IITA would lead to the development of a thriving agricultural system that aligns with the university’s founding objectives.
Dashiell, impressed by Aletheia’s mission and educational model, commended the institution for its forward-thinking approach. Echoing the sentiments of the Aletheia team, he noted that the university’s emphasis on skill acquisition and entrepreneurship aligns seamlessly with IITA’s vision of empowering youths to drive food security and development.
“Based on our shared goals, I am thrilled about this partnership,” Dashiell remarked. “Together, we will identify programs and initiatives to engage and inspire millions of young people.”
During the discussion, the IITA Youth Agribusiness (IYA) Communication Officer, Babatunde Ajaja, encouraged adopting climate-smart agricultural practices to achieve sustainable outcomes. He highlighted IYA’s efforts across Africa to reposition agriculture as a profitable enterprise for the youth, emphasizing the potential impact of this partnership.
Additionally, IITA Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement Manager Adetola Adenmosun underscored the critical role of ICT in agriculture and encouraged Aletheia to integrate advanced digital technologies into its agricultural initiatives to expand its reach and impact.
Prof Onasanya concluded the session by emphasizing the partnership’s potential to catalyze agricultural projects that could extend beyond Ogun State to other regions in Nigeria.
“This collaboration is pivotal to harnessing our shared strengths for impactful implementation,” he said.
The visit concluded with a tour of Aletheia University’s campus and farms, during which the IITA team saw the university’s agricultural output and innovative livestock-rearing practices. Dashiell admired the impressive farm operations and the application of modern technology in cattle rearing.
The partnership between IITA and Aletheia University marks a significant step toward fostering sustainable agriculture, advancing educational innovation, and empowering the next generation of agripreneurs in Nigeria.
Contributed by Anita Akinyomade
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