The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have reaffirmed their commitment to advance agricultural transformation across Africa.
This pledge follows a recent visit by a high-level AfDB delegation to IITA headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria, where leaders from both institutions engaged in discussions aimed at addressing the pressing challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and poverty on the continent.
The delegation, led by Dr. Abdul Kamara, AfDB Director General for Nigeria, and Dr. Chukwuma Ezedinma, AfDB Chief Agro-Industry Officer, met with Dr. Simeon Ehui, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa.
The discussions focused on aligning research efforts with scalable innovations and tackling critical challenges in African agriculture.
In his welcome address, Dr. Ehui expressed enthusiasm for the continued collaboration between IITA and AfDB. “Beyond our professional relationship, I am proud of Dr. Kamara’s leadership in this critical role for our shared vision of a food-secure continent,” he said.
He further highlighted IITA’s commitment to agricultural re – search in areas such as cassava and maize development, food safety technologies, and youth empowerment initiatives through the institute’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transfor – mation (TAAT) programme.
Dr. Kamara acknowledged IITA’s contributions to African agriculture, emphasising the need to transform research results into practical, scalable solutions to address current challenges.
He also called for innovative strategies, highlighting the potential of future programs like TAAT 3 and stressing the importance of integrating gender equality and climate resilience into agricultural initiatives. “It’s not just about funding; it’s about ensuring tangible out – comes,” he added.
Dr. Ezedinma commended IITA for its progress over the years and called for a clear and structured approach to expanding agricultural innovations.
