NABG mulls partneriship with IITA

The Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) has promised to work with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to translate research outputs of the Institute in the last 50 years to ‘money in the bank for resource’-poor farmers.
NABG Vice president, Emmanuel Ijewere, stated this recently during a visit to IITA to explore areas of possible collaboration.
NABG team which comprises eminent persons drawn from Nigeria’s private sector players in the agricultural value chain were excited about various innovations that have been developed by researchers in IITA ranging from improved seeds that could more than double farmers’ productivity, to technologies that control weeds and double the yield of cassava, to simple processing machines that add value to crops such as cowpea, cassava, and yam.
Other technologies such as inoculum production which raises the productivity of legumes such as soybean by about 20 percent, and aflasafe—a biological control product for managing aflatoxins—were also explored.
The semi-autotrophic hydroponics which is being used to produce thousands of clean seeds of clonal crops such as cassava and yam, and the yam aeroponics—a system of growing clean seed yam in the air—were also well received by the group.
After a series of presentations by IITA researchers and a tour of the 1000-hectare research facility, Mr Ijewere remarked, “The visit to IITA is an eye opener.”
“Yes, we knew that IITA was doing some things, but little did we realize the extent and depth of what they have done… how far they have gone, and how relevant they have become to Nigeria’s agriculture future,” he added.
In the last 7 years, IITA under the leadership of the director general, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, has reviewed its strategy wiThemphasis not just on research but also partnership building, delivery, commercialization of technologies and dissemination of innovations, and youth in agribusiness.
The President of NABG, Mr. Sani Dangote, who is also the Vice President of the Dangote Group said, “What we saw here (in IITA) is amazing.”
Mr. Dangote, who was represented by Mr. Baba Girma said, “I never thought we have this in Nigeria. Before, we thought IITA was only about research but what we saw today shows opportunities that can bring synergy between what they (IITA) are doing and the private sector.”
Earlier, the Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery, Dr Kenton Dashiell, reiterated IITA’s commitment to work with the private sector with the goal of improving the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Africa.
The convener of the meeting, Dr Alfred Dixon, Director for Development and Delivery at IITA, commended the NABG for the visit saying that the Institute ITA was willing to join forces with the group towards eliminating poverty and hunger in Nigeria.
Dixon said the decision to collaborate with NABG and other partners was aimed at paving the way for the rapid delivery of IITA-developed technologies.
The Institutes’ researchers and staff made presentations at the meeting.