The
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has declared that it
contributed massively to the country’s efforts towards food security,
employment generation, diversification of the country’s economy with value
chain agriculture, and better nutrition.
IITA Communication Officer for West and Central
Africa, Mr Godwin Atser made this assertion while speaking to newsmen and
pointed out that IITA Director-General, Dr
Nteranya Sanginga, has the zeal to empower the youth, hence he started a pilot project
last year on how the institute can use agriculture as a tool to engage the
youth corps members, empower them through training by inspiration by going into
the field, writing proposal and making money from agriculture.
NaijaAgroNet gathered from Atser that about 25 graduates have
keyed into the youth project and had cultivated 50 hectares of cassava using
the project to meet the stem demands of farmers.
“IITA
has been very successful. If not for IITA, there would not have been cassava in
Nigeria. In the 1970s, there was a disease that was wiping out cassava in
Africa. IITA and its partners released wasps which killed the cassava bug
that was killing cassava.
Atser
informed NaijaAgroNet
that when the presidential cassava initiative was initiated by former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, IITA propelled the efforts and production rose by 10 million
metric tonnes and Nigeria became the largest world producer of cassava.
He
disclosed that IITA’s door is open for youths who are interested in agriculture
to write to the institute on-line or on
the website and advocated for the training of youth in the yam value chain, while
government and other stakeholders create
more awareness about cassava flour and bread.
AN/GEE
*With Additional report from Tribune
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology
