IITA Director General Hartmann speaks about the unique challenges of working in Nigeria, his vision of a global research park, the food crisis, the institute’s impact in Africa, and adapting to the changing times. He shared his thoughts during the IITA Open Day on 7 November. Excerpts of the Q&A:
How has it been working in Nigeria?
Working in Nigeria has been a tremendous pleasure. It’s the biggest country in Africa and whatever we can prove here, we are very comfortable it can work anywhere. Nigeria allows us to work in the dryl ands, forest l ands and the wetl ands. It has all the agro-ecologies. That is why earlier [during my speech], I said that we have a plan to make this place an international research park for Africa.
How far is this plan?
The plan has been approved; the next step is getting the best and biggest research partners in the world to come here. We already have three international research centers working with us here in Ibadan, now we want to get the biggest private sector research companies to come here so that we make this place a truly global research park.
So IITA is not leaving Nigeria as rumored?
We are not leaving Nigeria and if anybody tells you that, tell them its pure nonsense. You’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth: IITA is not leaving Nigeria.
Perhaps this came from the purported agreement between IITA and Nigeria that after 30 years it might relocate?
No, this is again not true. In the agreement – in the constitution – we can stay as long as Nigeria permits us to stay. We are a registered company in Nigeria and unless we break the law or do something illegal then we can be closed down. We do not have any intention of leaving Nigeria.
Or the rumor may have come from some former staff included in the ‘downsizing’?
Let me make this clear: there has not been any downsizing since I came. When I came, the institute was in financial difficulties but since then, I told IITA staff that we will work in trust, but they have to give up something and we have to give up something. If we do this, we will be stable, and we have been stable ever since. I have been here for about five years and we have never fired anybody.
So there hasn’t been any retrenchment of staff?
There has been no forced staff retrenchment. Sometime ago, we enticed some of the older staff to take a retirement package, but it was optional and many took it because they could get a lot, more than enough to set up a business of their own. Most of those who opted to take the package decided to come and work with us again, the few who did not are doing good private business.
Looking at your operations here, what can you say are the challenges to your work?
The biggest challenge here is energy and this is not limited to us alone. However, I was happy to hear when the Minister of Energy, last week, talked about releasing 5000 megawatts of electricity and to increase that to 6000 megawatts by year’s end. We celebrate that announcement.
Apart from energy, what else?
Infrastructure. Some of our partners, especially farmers and food processors, have problems with transportation. That is not an IITA problem but our idea is to help them succeed in agriculture even with this and other constraints. What farmers perceive as challenges to them also become our challenges.
Has the government’s policies been favourable to you?
We haven’t had any problems with the Nigerian government. We have good relations.
What is your take on the global food crisis?
It should be more properly termed as a “food price crisis”. My belief, and it is the institute’s position, that Africa can feed itself. We do not need to ask for food aid from anybody. Today we see Ethiopia on TV asking for food aid. This is unnecessary. If we get things right — power, infrastructure — Africa can feed itself. This is a challenge and if we look at our successes in Nigeria, the colossus of Africa, we can demonstrate how things could be done right.
What has been the impact of IITA’s work in Africa?
That question is what actually gives us the spirit and strength to continue doing what we are doing. Our research with Nigerian farmers has made Nigeria the number one producer of cassava in the world. Before that, Thail and was leading for over 25 years. To me, Africa can do it, and that has been my message. When IITA introduced soybeans in Nigeria, people laughed at us; but today, Nigeria is the number one producer of soybean in Africa, overtaking South Africa. So it is possible for Nigeria to produce and feed itself, so can the other African countries.
But why is Nigeria still importing a lot of its food?
Yes, Nigeria does not produce all it needs. It still imports a lot of rice, and flour but I do not believe that every country should produce all it needs. Nigeria, for instance, should concentrate on what it is good at, produce enough of that to satisfy local consumption plus some more, then sell or trade with other countries for products that it cannot sufficiently produce. That’s the essence of trade and markets. It’s a win-win situation.
Nigeria is moving towards commercial agriculture, do you see that as a consistent strategy?
It is a consistent strategy. And every developed country in the world has gone through that path. Before, in the United States, 95 per cent of the population were in rural agriculture, today only 5 per cent are in commercial agriculture, and that 5 per cent are feeding the entire nation and other parts of the world. So the move towards commercialization is the right path, but it will take time.
When do you think Nigeria’s agriculture will catch up with oil?
Quite difficult to predict. But the good news is that the steps taken in improving power supply and infrastructure will stimulate the processing of agricultural products which will, in turn, create dem and and encourage farmers to produce more. So, we need to improve on productivity.
Finally, any message to IITA staff?
We have been here for almost 50 years and hope to be here for another 50! We have no intention of going anywhere but we must change the way we work to keep up with the rest of the world, if not we will become irrelevant, obsolete. So to the staff, don’t be afraid of change because the rest of the world is going that way.
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For more information, please contact:
Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org
Corporate Communications Manager
Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org
Corporate Communications Officer
Communication Office
IITA – Headquarters
Ibadan, Nigeria
URL: www.iita.org
About IITA
Africa has complex problems that plague agriculture and people’s lives. We develop agricultural solutions with our partners to tackle hunger and poverty. Our award winning research for development (R4D) is based on focused, authoritative thinking anchored on the development needs of sub-Saharan Africa. We work with partners in Africa and beyond to reduce producer and consumer risks, enhance crop quality and productivity, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is an international non-profit R4D organization since 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported primarily by the CGIAR.
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