IITA collaborates with private and government institutions to ensure sustainable agricultural development and proper execution of programs. In line with this, the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) visited IITA headquarters on 18 August to discuss collaboration on horticultural crops when implementing Partnerships for Delivery (P4D) projects. The visit focused on mango as this is a NIHORT mandate crop, and IITA has a mango orchard.
Hilde Koper-Limbourg, IITA DDG, Corporate Services, welcomed the team and introduced them to corporate service activities. She stated that two units—Facility Management Services (FMS) and the Forest Center—manage the IITA mango orchard. “We are looking forward to our discussions today as we explore opportunities for partnerships.,” she said.
Kenton Dashiell, IITA DDG, Partnerships for Delivery, explained that we expect opportunities to support economic development in conflict and climate-affected regions, particularly in northeast and northwest Nigeria. The program objectives would include horticultural crops that will reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and reduce hunger and poverty.
Dr Lawal Attanda, NIHORT Executive Director, thanked IITA for welcoming NIHORT as their partner on a future project where horticultural crops would be needed. He commended IITA for the excellent teamwork towards achieving sustainable agriculture via the youth program in the Institute and the training already given to the NIHORT team. Dr Attanda said the NIHORT team is ready to work with IITA to achieve development programs’ goals with the help of horticultural experts, such as breeders, agronomists, and postharvest technologists. “We will put in our best effort to ensure a successful project,” he said.
Dr Oyinlola Oyedeji, NIHORT Plant Pathologist, added that this collaboration would create a platform for NIHORT to push out some of the on-shelf technologies that have been created and can be used to empower the youth.
Semeton Amosu, Head of NIHORT Fruits Programs, declared that the collaboration would introduce appropriate technologies to fight deforestation and climate change using mango tree planting. Affirming the benefit of the program to forest activities, Adewale Awoyemi, Head of IITA Forest Center, stated that the proposal added value to the IITA Forest Center.
Wrapping up the discussion, Dashiell appreciated the NIHORT team for the visit and insightful discussion. He also appealed to both institutes to set up a team to write proposals that would include horticultural crops.
Contributed by Anita Akinyomade
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