Delegation from the National Assembly of Nigeria Visits ICBA

A delegation of six distinguished members of the National Assembly of Nigeria accompanied by Dr. Waleed Ahmad Addas, Lead Operations Officer at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Mr. Gambo Shuaibu, IDB Executive Director, visited the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) on 30 May 2013 and discussed various collaboration opportunities.

The Nigerian delegation was lead by Honorable Mulikat Akande Adeola and included each of Senator Ehigie Edobor Uzamere, Honorable Haruna Manu, Honorable Chukwudi Victor Jones Onyereri, Honorable Umaru Bago Mohammed, and Senator Bello Mohammad Tukur.

Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Director General of ICBA, along with Dr. Ahmed Al Sharif, Deputy Director General, Dr. Mohammed Amrani, Director of Research and Innovations, and Ms. Fiona Chandler, Director of International Cooperation and Partnership, along with senior scientists from the various ICBA fields of specializations attended this meeting with the Nigerian delegation.

The Nigerian delegation and ICBA management and scientists discussed several collaborative opportunities between ICBA and the Nigerian government in terms of policy, land, water management, and agriculture value chain. Following the discussions, the participants went on a field visit to the various research fields, labs and gene bank of ICBA, where they got detailed information on ongoing research from the respective scientist in charge.

Dr. Elouafi said, “This was a great opportunity that reflects the strong relationship between IDB and ICBA. Meeting this distinguished Nigerian delegation opens various doors for ICBA, and comes in line with the new ICBA strategy for 2013-2023, where ICBA seeks to build stronger partnerships and to extend its geographical outreach. We see that ICBA is capable of providing substantial contributions to tackling problems related to marginal lands and marginal water resources in Nigeria and we look forward to pursuing these opportunities with our new partners from Nigeria.”

Honorable Mulikat Akande Adeola said, “The visit today has been quite interesting and knowledgeable for us… We must take advantage of what ICBA is doing to be able to protect our people from hunger, to be able to diversify the type of agriculture that we are involved in right now. I think this center is a center of excellence. I think that ICBA is the best place to reach out to in terms of agricultural preservation and sustainability for the future.Dr. Waleed Ahmad Addas said, “It is my honor to visit the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture and I am extremely glad and grateful for the great work ICBA is doing for agriculture, water and the environment in the IDB member countries.”