The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has restated its commitment to supporting farmers in improving productivity, food security, and nutrition across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking during the IITA Farmers’ Day on Innovation for Nutrition and Food Security held in Abuja, Head of IITA Abuja Station, Beatrice Aighewi, said the institute remains focused on helping smallholder farmers raise yields and income through research and strategic partnerships.
She noted that IITA’s research focuses on staple crops essential to Africa’s food systems, including maize, cassava, yam, soybean, cowpea, banana, plantain, and cocoa. “Our mission is to help resource-poor farmers increase productivity, improve food security, and raise their incomes across sub-Saharan Africa,” she said.
Aighewi explained that IITA’s headquarters is in Ibadan, with regional research hubs spread across West, East, Central, and Southern Africa, as well as the Sahel. In Nigeria, the institute operates experimental stations in Kano, Onne (Rivers State), and Abuja.
She recalled that the Abuja Station was established in 1985 by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) as a demonstration farm to enhance farmers’ productivity and livelihoods. It was later handed over to IITA in 1991 under a memorandum of understanding, which was renewed in 2022.
“The Abuja Station, which initially covered 62 hectares, now occupies less than 50 due to encroachment from urban development,” Aighewi said, adding that it has evolved into a key hub for showcasing agricultural technologies to donors, embassies, development partners, and government agencies.
She emphasised that IITA will continue to work closely with the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Federal Government to promote food and nutritional security. “At IITA, we work from the laboratory to the field and to the table. What we are showcasing today reflects that full journey,” she said.
Aighewi also revealed that IITA maintains a plant conservatory to safeguard genetic resources and ensure biodiversity for future generations.
Through its ongoing research and partnerships, IITA aims to strengthen food systems, support innovation, and create sustainable pathways for farmers across Africa to thrive in the face of changing economic and environmental conditions.
