An announcement has been made by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture regarding its partnership renewal with the Soy Excellence Center, a United States soy program aimed at achieving food security in Nigeria.
According to a statement extracted from its website and released on Friday, the partnership between the IITA and the US Soy program is crucial in addressing food security not only in Nigeria but also across Africa.
During a recent courtesy visit by the US Soy program to IITA’s headquarters in Ibadan, Dr. Simeon Ehui, the IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, emphasized the institute’s significant research contributions to agricultural and food systems in Africa. He highlighted the pivotal role IITA plays in tackling food insecurity in Nigeria and beyond, which has led to the establishment of partnerships that have furthered its mission over five decades.
In discussions with the Soy Excellence Center team, Dr. Ehui underscored, “IITA-CGIAR has strategically engaged with Nigeria’s premier university to cultivate collaborations with academic institutions and other partners, all in pursuit of a food-secure continent.
Dr. Ehui stressed the importance of continuous evolution and collaboration with national programs to prevent redundancy and ensure the effective delivery of technologies resulting from their research efforts.
Michael David, leading the Soy Excellence Center team, highlighted the significance of the partnership that resulted in IITA becoming a host partner for the Soy Excellence Center in the soybean program. This milestone has played a key role in advancing soybean research and development.
Discussions revolved around capacity building, potential areas for further research collaboration, and the readiness of IITA-CGIAR to expand partnerships and engage with interested parties dedicated to achieving food security.
Focusing on IITA’s initiatives in technical support and the development of improved soybean varieties suitable for tropical climates, IITA-CGIAR Soybean Breeder Abush Abebe explained that their research aims to enhance food security and uplift the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. “Our breeding efforts in soybean have significantly contributed to food systems across the continent,” Abebe added.