Adopting knowledge management for sustainable agricultural development

4 September 2024

IITA Information Systems Officer Abosede Ayinla presenting IITA's Knowledge Management Strategy at the KM4AgD side event in Rwanda.
IITA Information Systems Officer Bosede Ayinla presenting IITA’s Knowledge Management Strategy at the KM4AgD side event in Rwanda.

The second edition of the Science and Partnership for Agriculture Conference (SPAC2024), held from 29 to 31 July in Kigali, Rwanda, marked a significant milestone in the push for advanced agricultural productivity and sustainability. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) conference, in partnership with the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), brought together global leaders and key stakeholders to address major challenges facing African agriculture. The event hosted several side events, namely;

  • Third Biennial Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Conference
  • Fourth Knowledge Management for Agricultural Development (KM4AgD) Conference
  • Scaling and Futures Meetings
  • Policy and Partnerships Workshops
  • DeSira Connect Conference
  • Technical Workshop on Climate Change and Soil Health as part of the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA)

IITA’s participation in the Km4AgD Conference stood out as representatives of the institute presented the draft of the IITA Knowledge Management strategy. The presentation gave insights into how IITA would adopt KM for sustainable agricultural development. The presentation emphasized how KM is not just about data collection and dissemination but also about fostering collaboration, innovation, and capacity building within IITA’s community.

Other KM experts and participants at the conference provided positive feedback. The strategy draft was lauded for its comprehensive scope and potential to serve as a model for other organizations seeking to enhance their Knowledge Management practices.

IITA Director General Dr Simeon Ehui giving a goodwill message at the opening plenary session of the SPAC Conference.
IITA Director General Dr Simeon Ehui giving a goodwill message at the opening plenary session of the SPAC Conference.

In addition, IITA’s Director General, Dr Simeon Ehui, delivered a compelling goodwill message at the opening plenary session. The address underscored the critical role of agricultural research in addressing Africa’s food security challenges and highlighted IITA’s contributions to the continent’s agricultural transformation. The Director General emphasized the importance of partnerships, knowledge sharing, and technology adoption in achieving sustainable and resilient agriculture.

IITA remains committed to working with partners to develop innovative solutions to Africa’s agricultural challenges.

Contributed by Sharon Abiodun