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The director general, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Dr Nteranya Sarginga, has explained how transformed the non-profit institution with his ‘people first’ policy as he bows out after 11 years of leading the largest agricultural research institute in Africa.
Sarginga, who is the first African to lead the institute, hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He had initially served as a student researcher before returning as the first African DG in 2011.
While giving account of his stewardship to select journalists over the weekend, the outgoing chief executive called on African leaders to invest more in agriculture to feed Africans and lead in exportation of farm produce to strengthen economies and provide jobs.
Sarginga, who took over leadership in 2011, is famous for his ‘people first’ policy which saw the institute regain the trust of staff, a development that also helped staff and other stakeholders give their best to the institute.
The policy has helped IITA regain its position as the leading agricultural research institute in Africa, attracting new grants and projects across the world.
“When I became the 7th DG of IITA and started work on 1st November 2011, I used the People Strategy to inform the Business Strategy (IITA Refreshed Strategy 2012-2020) as the best approach to lead and develop the organisation. Both strategies had to work together to enable the organisation to deliver on its mission and mandate of transforming the agricultural agenda in Africa.
“Most staff in IITA and other organisations have asked me about my People Strategy. My answer has been that you will not find that in any annual report and probably not in any internal IITA document either. Yet we all agree that “people are the most important assets in any institution.” For me the people strategy is the link between the business strategy and the implications for human resources. It answers questions such as what are we good at, what capabilities do we need, and when and where do we need them? I spent a lot of time early in my administration to get answers to such questions from all categories of IITA staff at headquarters and hubs,” he said.
To his credit, IITA successfully introduced the youth agripreneurship programme, which opens up opportunities for youths in agriculture. The programme makes youths see agriculture as a business instead of a punishment. They get trained by IITA and are supported with resources to succeed in agriculture business. Through the programme, some selected public secondary schools have been renovated, and supplied technology laboratories to help young tots embrace technology in farming.
Sarginga also built partnerships with local, national and international stakeholders to promote agriculture and agribusiness and financing.
“As the first African DG of IITA, I brought to the fore the energy and the vibrancy of a true son of Africa, encouraging developments which are linked to the big African organisations-the African Development Bank, the African Union, FARA, and others, while at the same time maintaining IITA’s brand as a premier, world-quality research institute working in Africa. However, the failed investment and the reputation of IITA, especially with African partners remained as the most pressing challenges that had to be resolved.
“I, therefore, requested help from former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who graciously accepted to become Ambassador of IITA early in my administration. Since then, he has been of tremendous help in turning IITA back into its glory,” the DG stated.
To transform agriculture in Africa, Sarginga posited that the continent’s leaders at all levels of government need to change their orientation to agriculture, being the easiest way to provide employment, get out of poverty and improve the economy.
He cited the example of the president of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, pointing out that he changed perception to agriculture while serving as the Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria prior to his current appointment.
The DG said decisions about agriculture can not be politicised if the continent must transform its dreams to reality.
Sarginga emphasised that African leaders need political will to do the right thing for agricultural development.
The outgoing chief executive recently facilitated establishment of the Nigeria/DRC Business Forum. He is currently the president while Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, is the vice president.
Though he indicated interest in returning to his country of birth, DRC, Sarginga, who was installed as the Aare Afurugbin-ola of the source by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, last year, said he still has a lot of work to do in Nigeria.
He commended the enormous hospitality he enjoyed in Nigeria, saying Nigerians are perhaps the most hospitable people in Africa.