Africa needs the right messages and methods to attract young people to agriculture and end rising unemployment across the continent, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) says.
Addressing the food insecurity question in Africa required collective efforts from the different institutions operating in Africa, stressing that “IITA cannot succeed in isolation,” said Kenton Dashiell, deputy director-general in charge of partnership for delivery at IITA.
His comments came in a message to journalists to mark the 2017 Media Day, part of activities celebrating IITA 50th anniversary on July 24.
He said creativity is crucial to how information on agricultural innovation is packaged and disseminated to young people in a way that would attract them into agriculture and clear illusions about the sector.
“Our message is this—agriculture is the way to become wealthy. But this cannot happen if it is practiced the way our parents did. Fortunately, IITA has advanced technologies that if used could make farming very profitable and fun for farmers,” said Dashiell.
The Media Day is the first time IITA would spend a full day with journalists to showcase its facilities, projects and direction in the next 50 years.
On its showcase are fields where IITA researchers developed strains to defeat Black Sigatoka disease on banana, cassava mealybug and maize streak virus.
From its laboratories have come breakthroughs—including the use of Aflasafe to make maize and groundnuts safer and innovations that have researchers growing yam in the air and new technologies being developed to control weeds in cassava.
Journalists were taken around the facilities to see research on maize, yam, cassava, cowpea, banana and plantain. IITA is also piloting the first ever Africa-wide youth in agribusiness initiative (IITA Youth Agripreneurs), which has received strong support from the African Development Bank and about 11 heads of African states.
Dr Kwesi Atta-Krah, Chair, IITA50 Organizing Committee and Director, Systems and Site Integration said that in the last 50 years, IITA had stood with the people by providing agricultural solutions that address the constraints to Africa’s agricultural development.
“And because we are truly people-centric, our goal in the last 50 years has always been to make living more fulfilling for even the poorest of the poor farming households. Even now, IITA will not stop. The Institute will continue to join hands with relevant stakeholders to do its best to transform agricultural practices to be able to transform Africa,” Dr Atta-Krah explained.
The Chair of the IITA50 Organizing Committee also announced that on 30 June 2017, a press conference will be held at IITA’s facilities in Lagos, after which IITA’s senior management team will proceed to ring the closing bell at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, officially announcing the Institute 50th anniversary to the public.
Established 1967, IITA is a leader in agricultural research in sub-Saharan Africa. Innovations from the Institute have translated to better nourishment, food security, and livelihood-generating activities for millions of Africans.
The IITA50 celebration received financial support from IITA staff and the Board of Trustees, Dangote Group, Bovas, and Inqaba. Other supporters include Punch and the Guardian Newspapers.