agnc -economy
SUNDAY J ANUARY I, 2012
A;t'i c research improving livelihoods in Africa - AIDB RASHEED mslRIYU
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Agriculture !~ positirely transforming p,"elihoodS in
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African Devel fits Cecilia Ak k id.. He spok private ]\'i5it !harlan, ~ayin
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mstltute S3Jd o n Fnday that it ....oas not the first time IITA would be commended for its impact in Africa. It recalled that in 2007. an impact assessment team by the Science Council of the Consuhative Group on 'International Agricultural Research reported that about 70 per cent of the impact by the CGlAR in Africa came from research outputs orIITA. The statement said, "Today. more ilian 60 per
is real and 1 ru i~ ;.>rou9 ofl Icent ! o.r improved maize ,h~ res0\S ~ nii ou~ of grown III West and Centra] Hus Africao-
Africa comcs from UTA varieties. Working with international and national partners in Africa, IITA has over the years developed improved crop varieties, which are superior in tenns of yield to local varieties. ~ Most of these improved varieties are resistant to pest and diseases. In the Grea t Lakes region where cassava brown streak 'is a menace, tolerant cassava varieties developed by lITA are helping fartners in cutting down annuallp'~; th,t.re estimated at
Akintomide also spoke on the economic importance of agriCUlture. She recalled that in Nigeria, fo r instance, before the discovery of oil, agriculture was the key driver o f the economy, with cocoa playing a leading role particularly in the southwestern region. The early infrastructure in the region was built from revenues generated from cocoa, she added. TIle AfDB secretary general gave the focus of the bank's medium term strategy as infrastructure,
higher education, science and technology. These ?tITS
pillars provided areas of convergence between AIDB and llTA. TIle DTA Direelor General, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, who received the visitor, commended the bank for its investment in research and development He said that besides imprm'ing the quality of resean:b, IITA would continue to focus on capacity building and the slrengtheningofpartnershi p with international and local 4
institutions. The director+general said these areas of focus by lITA would belp in addressing the challenges facing the continent and compliment the bank's efforts towards improving livelihoods. According to tile statement, both IITA and AIDB ha \'e a long history of partnership for development, ,~'ith tangible results, adding that "the two institutiOIl5 are working together to enhance that partnersbip in the near future:
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