“Telling the stories of the impact agricultural research is making in Africa can only generate positive returns and ensure that those who are invested in the cause of food security are kept abreast of the progress being made and can do more.” IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga said this in December at the Institute’s headquarters during a meeting with his media team.
Dr Sanginga was recently conferred with the chieftaincy title of Aare Afurugbin Ola of the Source (Lead Sower of Wealth and Prosperity of the House Oduduwa), in recognition of his remarkable contributions to agriculture, research, and development in Africa, by the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye, Ojaja II. In a statement, Dr Sanginga said that Africa would witness more development if we shared more stories about the remarkable progress going on about how research innovations are improving lives among farmers and farming communities.
According to Dr Sanginga, the media buzz around his recent chieftaincy conferment has gained the attention of several countries in Africa and donors across the globe. He announced that the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), his home country, is launching a project worth millions of dollars in 2022, with IITA leading the implementation of activities.
In a statement issued by the IITA media office at the Institute’s headquarters in Ibadan on 14 December, the DG has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that millions of lives are impacted across Africa with the cutting-edge research and innovations delivered by the Institute.
With close to 40 years of experience in the agricultural research and development space, DG Sanginga, who has spent a considerable part of his career in Nigeria, revealed that the announcement coming from the DR Congo government has renewed his passion for creating more enabling environments for young people.
“There is so much more to be done, and IITA is positioned to deliver in the coming years, with the support of everyone at the Institute,” said DG Sanginga.
In the last 10 years, Dr Sanginga, through the Youth-in-Agribusiness program at IITA, has influenced and helped thousands of youth graduates in Africa to embrace agriculture as a business and a major source of income. He is replicating this initiative with secondary school students under the Start Them Early Program (STEP), where teenagers are learning about agriculture as a business with various modules.
Dr Sanginga, who is the first African to head IITA, revealed that other donors have also indicated an interest in supporting some projects in the Institute. His recent chieftaincy title can only herald development and progress for Nigeria and DR Congo. IITA has the research and capacity to strengthen and push the process, he added.
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