Research in Nigeria’s agriculture has received a boost, as the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), based in Ibadan won the 2018 Africa Food Prize award for its innovation in finding solutions to some of the challenges limiting Africa’s agricultural productivity.
The award was given to the institution at the just concluded African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Kigali, Rwanda.
This made IITA becomes the first institution to receive the distinguished Africa Food Prize award that consists of a $100,000 cash prize and a trophy of recognition.
The independent Africa Food Prize committee, chaired by Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, selected the agric research institute for its deep commitment over many decades to producing a steady stream of innovations that have boosted the nutrition and incomes of millions of people across Africa.
“IITA stood out to us for its steadfast and inspiring commitment to a research agenda that aligns with both our African traditions as well as the evolving needs of African farmers and consumers for the latest advances food production,” Obasanjo said during the presentation of the award.
“From the cassava we are still eating today, to the valuable and nutritious soybeans we now grow in our fields, to maize varieties that can withstand drought and deadly toxins—our diets and our agriculture businesses would be much poorer today without IITA’s leadership, and its willingness to forge powerful bonds with African farmers and African communities,” the former president added.
IITA has been at the forefront of agricultural research in Nigeria and all cross Africa and has included a critical focus on connecting crop science to creating employment for Africa’s youth, and ensuring African farmers can adapt to the stresses of climate change and the growing threat for an array of crop pests and plant diseases.
IITA has also led efforts to breed new varieties of banana, cowpea, maize, soybean and yam that are suited to Nigeria and to the region at large wide diversity of growing conditions and dietary preferences.
Nteranya Sanginga, director general, IITA, while receiving the award stated that a great deal of IITA’s success rests on its ability to develop relationships and collaborations that allow the fruits of its research to be scaled up and made available to millions of farmers.
“I am extremely honoured to be receiving this prize on behalf of IITA and proud to be part of a group of researchers dedicated to building lasting and relevant solutions for the continent,” Sanginga said.
“But it would be remiss of me if I did not acknowledge the important role of our various partners, from other research centres to governments to the private sector, without whom our research might never have seen the light of day,” he further said.
Josephine Okojie
