What began as a conversation on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Summit in Dakar, Senegal in September took firm roots in Ibadan, Nigeria with the visit of Mallam Umar Namadi, Executive Governor of Jigawa State, to IITA's headquarters recently.
Welcomed by IITA-CGIAR's Director General, Dr Simeon Ehui, the Governor led a high-level delegation on a visit that underscored agriculture's central role in Jigawa State's development strategy—and the power of science-driven partnerships to unlock that potential.
Standing before IITA scientists and leadership, Governor Namadi spoke with clarity and conviction. In Jigawa State, agriculture is more than an economic sector—it is the backbone of society. Nearly 90 percent of the population depends on it, and it contributes over 60 percent of the State's Gross Domestic Product. For Governor Namadi, transforming agriculture is synonymous with transforming lives.
Over the past two and a half years, his administration has pursued an ambitious reform agenda: scaling up mechanization, deploying Nigeria's largest agricultural extension network, introducing digital farmer databases and input vouchers, expanding climate-smart irrigation, and rolling out a comprehensive agricultural policy to guide transformation from 2024 to 2030. The goal is clear—to shift from subsistence farming to a modern, resilient, and commercially competitive agricultural economy.
© CGIARGovernor Umar Namadi with Dr Simeon Ehui at the SAH screenhouse listening to Dr Mercy Diebiru-Ojo.
While Governor Namadi highlighted some of the challenges ahead like climate change, soil degradation, heat stress, and emerging pests threatening yields, he emphasized that addressing them requires science, innovation, and strong institutional partnerships—precisely why Jigawa turned to IITA.
Science that meets food security needs
In his welcome address, Dr Ehui highlighted the natural alignment between Jigawa's priorities and IITA's mission: generating and delivering innovations that tackle hunger, poverty, malnutrition, and environmental degradation.
© CGIARGovernor Umar Namadi with Dr Simeon Ehui and the delegation at the Aflasafe building at the IITA Campus, Ibadan.
From resilient seed systems and digital soil intelligence to youth agribusiness incubation, mechanization, irrigation solutions, and biological control technologies such as Aflasafe, the Governor and his team were introduced to innovations that are not confined to laboratories—but ready for adaptation and scale.
"These solutions are practical, proven, and designed for impact," Dr Ehui noted, stressing that IITA's work across Nigeria and Africa demonstrates how research can translate into real productivity gains and livelihood improvements for farmers and agribusinesses alike.
The visit also marked tangible progress in an already growing collaboration. Through the WATEA initiative, IITA-CGIAR is supporting young women in Jigawa to build skills, link with agrifood SMEs, and establish sustainable enterprises.
Governor Namadi's decision to allocate land in Malam Madori for IITA's cowpea breeding program further signaled Jigawa's readiness to co-invest in long-term scientific solutions with regional and national impact.
The high point of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA). More than a formal document, the MoU provides a flexible framework to co-design and implement programs focused on improved crop varieties, integrated pest management, soil health, value chain development, and youth-led agribusiness.
As Governor Namadi aptly put it, the partners were not merely signing an agreement—they were "sowing a seed": a seed of collaboration, shared responsibility, and commitment to the farmers, women, and youth of Jigawa State.
Mapping the road to impact
The sense of momentum was further reinforced during the wrap-up session, where both teams reflected on the visit and, crucially, agreed on a clear pathway from dialogue to delivery.
The Director General of JATA, Dr Saifullahi Umar Basirka noted that the tour of IITA's facilities revealed a strong convergence between the State's priorities and the Institute's technological strengths. From agribusiness infrastructure and digital agriculture to soil health management, germplasm resources, and soil mapping, the delegation saw solutions that directly respond to Jigawa's transformation goals.
A detailed presentation by Dr Abdoulaye Tahirou IITA Deputy Director General Partnership for Delivery and Scaling demonstrated how the Institute's technologies and programs are already contributing to food security and improved livelihoods across Africa—and how these same innovations can be tailored to Jigawa State's specific agro-ecological and socio-economic context.
To ensure momentum is sustained, IITA outlined a phased roadmap for implementation. In the first six months, the focus will be on governance and collaboration structures, joint planning and needs assessment, and the development of concept notes to guide program design and resource mobilization. Between six and eighteen months, attention will shift to infrastructure setup, deployment of digital tools, and the commencement of on-the-ground implementation. Beyond eighteen months, the partnership will emphasize capacity building, knowledge transfer, and the scaling and sustainability of joint interventions.
Responding to the roadmap, Jigawa's agriculture leadership affirmed that the proposed approach captures the State's expectations, particularly in priority areas such as agribusiness development, digital agriculture, soil health, soil mapping, and access to improved genetic resources.
In his closing remarks, Dr Ehui expressed deep appreciation to the Governor, the agriculture leadership, and the entire delegation for what he described as a clear demonstration of commitment to Jigawa's agricultural future. The exchange, he noted, showed strong alignment and effective teamwork between both institutions.
"Our ambition is to move quickly from discussion to implementation," he emphasized. "This partnership is not a one-off engagement—it marks the beginning of sustained collaboration and expanded joint action."
That spirit was symbolically reinforced with the presentation of a commemorative plaque from Dr Ehui to Governor Namadi, marking not an endpoint, but the formal beginning of a shared journey.
As the meeting came to a close, results from the engagements between both sides will be seen in the years ahead—healthier soils, higher productivity, resilient farming systems, thriving agribusinesses, empowered youth, and improved livelihoods across Jigawa State, delivering food security, prosperity, and opportunity for generations to come.
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