The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting farmers in improving productivity, nutrition, and food security across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
Head of IITA Abuja Station, Dr. Beatrice Aighewi, made this known during the IITA Farmers’ Day on Innovation for Nutrition and Food Security, held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Aighewi said the event was part of efforts to strengthen partnerships and showcase IITA’s innovations in agricultural research. She noted that the institute’s mission is to help smallholder farmers raise productivity and incomes through science-driven solutions.
“We conduct research on staple crops such as maize, cassava, yam, soybean, cowpea, banana, plantain, and cocoa—crops vital to Africa’s food systems,” she said.
She recalled that the Abuja Station, established in 1985 by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and transferred to IITA in 1991, had not held field exhibitions for over a decade.
“Today’s event allows us to reconnect with farmers, partners, and the public while showcasing IITA’s latest innovations,” she said, adding that the Abuja Station now serves as a hub for showcasing technologies to donors, embassies, and government agencies.
In her remarks, Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dede Ekoue, represented by Mrs. Chioma Opara, commended IITA for championing agricultural innovation and nutrition-sensitive farming.
“Agricultural growth must go beyond yields to improve diets, health, and resilience,” she said, reaffirming IFAD’s readiness to deepen collaboration with IITA to scale up agricultural innovations.
Also speaking, Prof. Ademola Adenle, Special Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the Open Day reflected the government’s focus on innovation-driven agricultural transformation.
“Today, we celebrate innovation in action—where science meets the soil, and research becomes real solutions,” he said.
FCT Mandate Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Abdullahi Ango, represented by Mr. Mahmud Sanusi, urged IITA to sustain innovations that attract youth into agriculture through mechanisation and digital tools.
The event featured exhibitions of IITA’s research outputs and new technologies designed to enhance nutrition and food security across Africa.
