The IITA Project Development and Administration Unit (PDAU) organized a three-day workshop in Accra, Ghana, titled “Meeting donors’ expectations in resource mobilization (RM) and grants management.” The workshop was held from 26 to 28 August to enhance partner capacity in managing donor relationships and resource mobilization. Participants included researchers and administrative staff from the National Centre of Agronomic Research (CNRA), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Alliance Bioversity and CIAT, Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), University of Ghana and IITA.
Opening the event, IITA Emeritus Director Robert Asiedu delivered a keynote on behalf of Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery (DDG-P4D) Kenton Dashiell, stressing the importance of resource mobilization for advancing research in Africa. IITA-Ghana Country Representative Richard Asare affirmed IITA’s commitment to capacity building and strong partnerships.
IITA Interim Chief Regional Engagement Officer Kwesi Atta-Krah highlighted opportunities for partners in the Comprehensive African Agricultural
Development Programme (CAADP), a crucial part of Agenda 2063, to combat hunger and poverty through agricultural growth.
In his opening remarks, IITA-PDAU Head Kayode Awobajo thanked the IITA Senior Management Team, the PDAU team, and IITA-Ghana colleagues for supporting the initiative’s success. He urged participants to exchange knowledge and share their experiences during the training.
Awobajo commenced the training with an insightful presentation titled “Overview of resource mobilization (RM): Best practices and grants management cycle.” Additionally, topics covered included “Effective grants sourcing, donor intelligence and managing donor expectations,” presented by Bukola Latinwo; “Effective proposal budget development: Integrating best practices for proposal development, resource allocation and compliance,” presented by Joseph Taiwo; “Effective grants management: Best practices and financial reporting compliance,” presented by Ovegho Okome; “Technical reporting and records keeping for managing projects,” presented by Labake Apena; and “Effective grant stakeholder relationship management,” by Seun Oladeji.
The training sessions were highly interactive, incorporating a mix of PowerPoint presentations, hands-on one-on-one sessions, role-playing simulations, and team-building activities.
The workshop highlighted the importance of resource mobilization and effective grants management in agricultural research, ensuring that research gets the necessary funding to drive innovation and advance knowledge.
After the workshop sessions, Asiedu presented certificates to the participants, commending the PDAU facilitators and attendees for their active engagement. He expressed optimism for continued collaboration between IITA and its partners, noting that the skills and knowledge gained would significantly enhance project outcomes.
Participants indicated that the workshop achieved the training objectives. In an increasingly competitive research landscape, efficient grants management ensures that resources are allocated efficiently, maximizing research impact. Building capacity in this area sustains long-term research and fosters collaboration, transparency, and compliance with regulatory standards while enhancing the credibility of research programs.
On the final day, participants toured designated sites in Accra, Ghana.
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) provided media support. It can be accessed through this link.
Contributed by IITA-PDAU Team
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