The IITA–CGIAR Project Development and Administration Unit (IITA–PDAU) recently participated in the 2025 Afe Babalola Agricultural Exposition (ABAEX), held from 2 to 4 October at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD). The three-day event, themed, “Harnessing the power of cooperatives for sustainable agricultural development,” brought together farmers from across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State, alongside researchers, students, policymakers, and development partners. Participants exchanged ideas, showcased innovations, and fostered partnerships geared toward advancing sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.
Dr Kayode Awobajo, Head of PDAU, led the IITA delegation, alongside team members including Bukola Latinwo, Joseph Taiwo, and Ayodeji Ogunjale. Their participation highlights IITA’s continued commitment to promoting collaboration, innovation, and capacity building within Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
During his goodwill message, Dr Awobajo commended ABAEX as a dynamic platform that connects agricultural research, innovation, and practice while extending greetings from IITA’s leadership. He also paid tribute to Aare Afe Babalola’s vision and leadership in establishing and funding the exposition as a flagship initiative in Nigerian agriculture.
Dr Awobajo highlighted the strong partnership between IITA-CGIAR and ABUAD, noting ongoing plans to establish a Grants Management Unit at the university. The initiative aims to enhance research capacity, strengthen resource mobilization, and support the preparation of competitive grants. Beyond grants management, the collaboration aims to advance climate-resilient agriculture, empower youth and women in the agribusiness sector, and integrate modern technologies into agriculture practices that align with Nigeria’s development agenda, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
During the exposition, the IITA–PDAU team held high-level discussions with Aare Babalola and ABUAD management on expanding institutional partnerships. Aare Babalola praised IITA-CGIAR’s contributions to agricultural transformation in Africa and welcomed the Grants Management Unit initiative, emphasizing its potential to strengthen ABUAD’s research and innovation capacity, attract competitive funding, and serve as a model for other institutions. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture and impactful collaboration across the continent.
Contributed by Taiwo Joseph
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