Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Tuesday, paid visits to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) and the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) in Ilorin Kwara State to forge strategic partnerships with the three agricultural research institutions and technology providers to address the challenges faced by the agricultural sector affected by the over one decade of insurgency in Borno State.
The Governor led a high-level delegation that comprised of Professors of agricultural engineering, technical staff from the Borno State Ministry of Agriculture and members of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineering.
With the visit, Borno State Government intends to harness innovation, improve productivity, support livelihood and ensure food sufficiency for the state’s population through sustainable agricultural practices.
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a leading research institution which is known for its expertise in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.
The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) is an institution that focuses primarily on providing effective technologies for mitigating post-harvest losses of all crop categories in Nigeria, while the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) provides intervention to advance mechanization of the agricultural sector.
Zulum noted that the collaborations will foster knowledge transfer, as experts from IITA, NSPRI, and NCAM will engage with local farmers, extension workers, and policymakers.
“Our visit was to know exactly what these institutions are doing and see how the Government and people of Borno State will benefit from the outcome of the research conducted by these institutions,” Zulum said.
Zulum took a tour of the facilities in all the institutions.
At IITA, the Governor was conducted round by the Director General, Dr Simeon Ehui, the Executive Director, Professor Lateef Oladimeji Sanni, at the NSPRI and at NCAM by the Executive Director, Dr. Abdulgafar Rasheed Kamaldeen.