IITA policy to improving livelihoods across Africa is the biggest priority of the international Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) . It is where the research meets the real world.
The Social Science and Agribusiness initiatives have a wide-reaching impact that enables them put the biggest breakthroughs into use and see how they shape policy, production, and people’s lives.
Conducive policies and institutional support are necessary for smallholder producers to increase their income through better access to markets. IITA policy undertake gender-responsive research, and look at poverty reduction strategies and policy frameworks to ensure the impact of their research.
The objectives of IITA policy to improving livelihoods across Africa is to work on enhancing nutritional quality of food products along the crop value chains, breeding for more nutritious crops, promoting health platforms, reducing occupational and health hazards, and improving water quality.
The aim is also to develop and disseminate research for development (R4D) outputs that promote commercialization of agricultural products, stimulate effective private–public partnerships, and reduce the tedium and drudgery of field labor, especially among women, children, and the elderly. For IITA policy to improving livelihoods across Africa to be accomplished, the institution is aimed to provide:
- Information and Knowledge for all.
As a key part of IITA strategy, The Social Science and Agribusiness directive focuses on sharing the information and knowledge gathered during research, and using it strategically in the creation of agricultural policies and in making socioeconomic and business decisions.
In line with IITA’s philosophy of unhindered access to knowledge generated through research, people can use discoveries to improve their livelihoods.
- Encouraging and Improving Lives.
As IITA is directed on focusing to turning farming activities into viable business operations, IITA will be giving people the tools they need to generate a sustainable income from agriculture. Also getting women and youths into agriculture is a key focus in much of our research-for-development activities.
Improving livelihoods means that the agricultural sector will continue to grow across Africa, and that farmers and rural communities can benefit from greater food security and a stronger economy.
Encouraging women and youths into agriculture is the final part of improving livelihoods. Youths and women are often underrepresented in the agricultural sector.
Creating pathways for these groups into agriculture reduces unemployment by utilizing more of the region’s productive workforce. It also leads to greater innovation and creativity, and allows women especially to be more independent.
