IITA wins Outstanding Research Institute award

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IITA wins Outstanding Research Institute award
By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture has won the Outstanding Research Institute award from the Nigeria-based Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL).
The Institute was honored for its sterling leadership in agricultural research in Nigeria in particular, and Sub-Saharan Africa in general.
According to a letter to the Director General, IITA, Dr Nteranya Sanginga; the Chief Executive Officer of CVL, Prof. Pat Utomi wrote: “I write to appreciate IITA for its laudable contributions towards economic growth in Nigeria and also inform you that the CVL team has specifically selected your organization as one of the honorees at the upcoming CVL Agriculture Sector celebration. Your recognition is under the Category of Outstanding Research Institute (i.e.,  A prestigious recognition given to research institutes for their valuable contribution through research, publications, trainings, and advocacy).”
Receiving the award, the IITA DG, Dr Sanginga dedicated the prize to African farmers especially women who in spite all odds have remained a pillar of food security on the continent.
Speaking through the Head of IITA Abuja Station, Dr Gbassey Tarawali, Dr Sanginga said “we are proud of this honor and it demands that we do more to lift more people out of poverty”.
Chief Executive Officer of CVL, Prof. Pat Utomi, while speaking declared  “we are also aware that Nigeria was declared the biggest economy in Africa and one of the 11 global growth generators last year. (The Economist, April 2014).”
According to Professor Utomi, “this rapid growth has been accounted for based on the contributions of key sectors (particularly non-oil sectors) of the economy.” adding,“ to further sustain this status, the CVL Economic Growth Sector Celebration Series was initiated to continually identify, honor and celebrate outstanding sectors that have immensely added value in a particular year.”
Since assumption of office, Dr Sanginga embarked on a radical transformation of the Institute with a vision of bringing 11 million people out of poverty, and reclaiming 7.5 million hectares of degraded land and putting that back into sustainable use.

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