IITA and Jigawa State deepen partnership with co-design mission to drive agricultural transformation
9 February 2026
Following the December 2025 visit of His Excellency Mallam Umar Namadi, FCA, Executive Governor of Jigawa State, to the IITA–CGIAR headquarters, the partnership between Jigawa State and IITA has advanced into a decisive implementation phase.
Led by IITA Deputy Director General for Partnerships, Scaling and Delivery, Dr Abdoulaye Tahirou, an IITA delegation recently undertook a scoping and co-design mission to Jigawa State, marking a shift from high-level engagement to concrete project development.
The mission, hosted by the Jigawa State Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA), focused on translating shared agricultural priorities into actionable, science-based programs tailored to the state’s development agenda.
As part of the mission, the IITA delegation paid a courtesy visit to Governor Umar Namadi, where discussions centered on strengthening technical collaboration to accelerate agricultural productivity, youth employment, and agribusiness development in the state.
Governor Namadi reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to evidence-based agricultural transformation and partnerships that deliver measurable impact for farmers and young people.
“Our vision is to transform agriculture in Jigawa State into a modern, productive, and inclusive sector,” Governor Namadi said. “Working with a globally respected institution like IITA allows us to anchor our programs on science, innovation, and sustainability, while creating real opportunities for our farmers and youth.”
From MoU to action
Speaking during a high-level working session held at the IITA office in Kano, Director General of JATA, Dr Saifullahi Umar, described the visit as a critical follow-up to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Jigawa State Government and IITA in December 2025.
He explained that the engagement was deliberately structured to move beyond planning, with emphasis on joint project concept development, review of Jigawa State’s agricultural strategy, and alignment with on-the-ground implementation realities.
Seeing impact on the ground
The JATA team also led the IITA delegation on a field tour of ongoing agricultural programs across the state. The visit showcased cassava value addition initiatives, as well as youth-driven, irrigation-powered horticulture farming systems designed to improve productivity, enhance income, and promote year-round cultivation.
The field interactions provided practical insights into how existing interventions can be strengthened and scaled through improved technologies, data systems, and value-chain integration.
Reflecting on the visit, Dr Abdoulaye Tahirou emphasized IITA’s commitment to co-creating solutions with the state.
“What we are doing in Jigawa goes beyond project design,” Dr Tahirou said. “This is about jointly identifying scalable, science-based solutions that respond to the state’s priorities, whether in cassava value addition, soil health, digital agriculture, or youth-led horticulture. Jigawa State has demonstrated strong political will, and IITA is committed to supporting the state to translate that vision into lasting impact.”
Building a strong technical foundation
To ensure a productive foundation for collaboration, Jigawa State officials presented detailed overviews of the state’s agricultural strategy, priority crops, soil health status, digital agriculture initiatives, and agribusiness ecosystem. This information, stakeholders noted, provides a strategic baseline for the joint co-design process.
The strengthened Jigawa–IITA collaboration will focus on four critical areas:
- Enhancing production and productivity of key crops
- Improving soil health and fertility systems
- Advancing digital agriculture and data-driven solutions
- Driving youth agribusiness development and employment
With the scoping mission concluded, both parties are expected to move toward finalizing project concepts and implementation frameworks that will deliver tangible benefits for farmers, agripreneurs, and agribusinesses across Jigawa State.
Contributed by ’Timilehin Osunde
