Two major centers in Africa that are part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), will step up collaboration in tackling the challenge of hunger. The two centers intend to build synergies that would unleash the power of crop and livestock improvements to address poverty and malnutrition in Africa.

Discussions in this direction are ongoing with the Director General of ILRI, Dr Jimmy Smith visiting his counterpart, IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga in Ibadan.

At a dinner held in honor of Smith on Saturday, Sanginga said he foresaw a closer partnership of the two institutes.

Sanginga reiterated that IITA alone could not solve all of Africa's problems, hence the need for partnership with institutes with similar vision as IITA.

Both institutes join forces in the past in bringing benefits to African farmers in projects such as 'Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Borno' or PROSAB.

That project which was implemented in northern Nigeria helped raise incomes by 81 percent among participating households and also improved the nutrition of beneficiaries.

Sanginga said 'We need to work more closely to help farmers get benefits.'

In his response, Smith said he envisioned IITA and ILRI harnessing their strengths for the betterment of farmers.

He said the presence of a 'crop and a livestock' research partnership in Africa provided an opportunity for the continent to mine.

ILRI is headquartered in Kenya with the mandate to improve the productivity of livestock while IITA has its headquarters in Nigeria with the mandate to improve sub-Saharan's major staples such as cassava, yam, maize, soybean, cowpea, cocoa, banana and plantain. Both institutes operate Africa wide, and have over the years signed an agreement to maintain offices on each other's campus.

ILRI's Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Iheanacho Okike, said the collaboration between IITA and ILRI was a step in the right direction that would create a major impact in sub-Saharan Africa.

'It is a perfect alignment,' he added.
Okike noted that the discussion for greater partnership between the two institutes was at an opportune time when the CGIAR through its reform agenda is fostering greater collaboration among centers.

Smith was accompanied by his wife, Charmaine, and Dr Shirley Tarawali who is ILRI's Director of Institutional Planning.