Ivorian civil servants explore agricultural innovations to strengthen development partnerships
Delegates from the Association of International Civil Servants of Côte d’Ivoire paid a study visit to IITA–CGIAR on 15 December, marking a significant step toward deepening collaboration in agricultural development, youth empowerment, and technology-driven solutions across West Africa.
Delegates from the Association of International Civil Servants of Côte d’Ivoire paid a study visit to IITA–CGIAR on 15 December, marking a significant step toward deepening collaboration in agricultural development, youth empowerment, and technology-driven solutions across West Africa.
The delegation was warmly received by Dr Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, who welcomed the team and encouraged them to fully explore IITA’s wide-ranging research, innovations, and partnerships aimed at transforming African agriculture. The visit provided an opportunity for the delegates to familiarize themselves with IITA’s mandate, crops, institutional structure, and scalable technologies that could complement existing agricultural systems in Côte d’Ivoire.
During an interactive session, Abdoulaye Tahirou, Acting Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery, presented an overview of IITA’s organizational structure and its 2024–2030 Strategy, highlighting the Institute’s focus on impact at scale, partnerships, and sustainable food systems. He also shared insights into IITA’s work with young people through the IITA Youth in Agribusiness (IYA) program, which equips youth with agribusiness skills, market-ready technologies, and pathways to profitable enterprises.
The delegates were introduced to IITA’s innovations and digital tools, including the Seed Tracker, which enhances transparency and efficiency in seed systems, as well as ongoing solutions in banana research and other mandate crops critical to food security and livelihoods in Africa. These discussions sparked strong interest from the delegation, particularly around opportunities for joint partnerships in youth training, leveraging the reach and proven successes of the IYA model.