From 24 to 31 August, IITA accommodated four representatives from the Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) at the institute’s headquarters. The visit was an opportunity to strengthen the existing partnership between IITA and Tokyo NODAI and conduct research under the joint project titled “Utilization of plant-promoting bacteria isolated from yam to enhance crop production in Africa.”
IITA Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery (DDG-P4D), Kenton Dashiell, welcomed the team and showed gratitude as he acknowledged the pivotal role that the university has played in advancing yam research in Africa.
IITA and Tokyo NODAI have collaborated since 2012 under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In January 2023, they renewed their commitment for another five years. Since their initial collaboration, they have completed three projects and continued with new collaborative projects slated from January 2023 to March 2026.
The collaboration was not limited to the exchange of ideas alone. Over the years, more than ten Japanese students have found their way to IITA as research fellows and postdoc students, while IITA staff have ventured to Tokyo NODAI as MSc students.