Years of dealing with IITA’s project partners have shown that many of them have faced challenges in managing and understanding the rules that guide grant administration, especially as they relate to sub-agreements signed with the Institute. These gaps have affected project reporting, resulting in delayed fund disbursements to their institutions and from IITA donors.
As part of efforts to strengthen efficiency and collaboration with partners, the IITA Project Development and Administration Unit (PDAU) reached out to these partners to organize a training. In conjunction with the IITA Capacity Development Office (CDO), the PDAU team conducted a free 2-day webinar on 28 and 29 July, as the first of a planned series of training for partners on all ongoing IITA projects.
In his opening remarks, IITA Deputy Director General for Special Duties Kwame Akuffo-Akoto noted that the training would be an excellent opportunity to enhance collaboration and understanding between IITA and participating institutions. He said the training would further improve the participants’ knowledge of key concepts and expectations that will enable them to handle better the challenges they face in managing projects. Achieving this will also lead to improved efficiency in project delivery.
The Interim Head of PDAU, Kayode Awobajo, welcomed participants and encouraged them to apply the lessons learned from the training in handling their different projects. He also urged them to maintain close interaction with the PDAU team after the webinar. He used the opportunity to commend his team for the extra efforts in organizing the event despite the challenging times. He also appreciated colleagues from CDO and ICT units for their collaboration in ensuring the success of the event.
The training, delivered in four different sessions, drew participants from across Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. One hundred and twenty-four delegates (124) participated in the first session, which was on the “Essentials of proposal development (IITA experience).” The afternoon session focused on the “Fundamentals of efficient contract management” and attracted 76 participants.
On the second day, the session on “Grant administration: Key success factors in meeting donor financial deliverables” had 78 attendees, while the afternoon session with the topic, “Effective record-keeping for managing projects,” attracted 69 participants.
The webinar participants gave positive feedback and were enthusiastic about attending future training.
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