With the high cost of fertilizers, bio-stimulants are becoming an affordable source for increasing farmers’ productivity. They are also known to enhance nutrition efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance, and the quality of crops while preserving the environment.
A Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation team—Senior Program Officer Dr Lakshmi Manavalan, Program Officer Dr Jeff Ehlers, and Crops Research and Development Director Dr Renée Lafitte—visited IITA–CGIAR Ibadan recently as part of efforts to ensure that Africa is food secure. The delegation explored the potential of bio-stimulants for staple crops in Africa using the Institute’s research facilities.
In his welcome remarks, IITA Interim Director General Bernard Vanlauwe highlighted the Institute’s leadership in Africa through its progress in agricultural research activities. He also spoke about the IITA Youth program, which has provided job opportunities for the youths while scaling up agriculture in Africa.