Nova Genetic seeks partnership with IITA

6 February 2023

The research and innovation division of the Nova Alliance Group, Nova Genetic, visited IITA–CGIAR on 18 January to explore establishing ties with Nigeria through a partnership with the Institute. The team from the seed company, with several vegetable breeding programs, was received by the Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery, Kenton Dashiell; Senior Director, Plant Breeding and Pre-breeding, John Derera; Molecular Geneticist and Breeder, Ismail Rabbi; Product Manager-Grain Crops, Dean Muungani; and Postdoctoral Fellow, Soybean Breeding, Abush Abebe.

In his welcome address, Dashiell highlighted the Institute’s focus on transforming African agriculture. He added that in achieving that goal, IITA has always embraced partnering with private organizations.

In her response, Nova Genetic Research Manager Florine Poiroux briefed the team about the France-based organization. She explained that the Nova Alliance Group comprises several companies charged with seed production, farm coordination, management, and research. With four breeding stations in Africa, the organization is focused on vegetables, working on notable species such as tomato, pepper, summer squash, and watermelon.

She added that the organization’s objective is to breed more varieties in tropical areas to meet farmers’ needs and pay more attention to developing resistance to tropical diseases.

Both teams discussed potential areas of collaboration, such as testing operations, lab research, vegetable legumes, seed multiplication, modernization and technology transfer, and nutrition analysis. For the actualization of the proposed partnership, both parties assigned representatives to facilitate further interaction.

The Nova Genetic delegation toured the IITA campus, stopping at the Bioscience Center laboratory facility, an off-season nursery where different soybean generations are planted, and the maize demonstration field.

Contributed by Tolulope Akinola