IITA Videos 14d ago

Earlier in the year, on 11th and 12th February, 2026, the Rotary International President Elect (RIPE), Olayinka Babalola, explored the grounds of the IITA campus, taking time out for an early-morning birdwatching session led by the Head of the IITA Forest Center, Adewale Awoyemi. He shared that his interest in birdwatching began during the COVID-19 lockdown, eventually leading him to join the fellowship of Rotarian birdwatchers, with IITA as his preferred base whenever he is in Ibadan. He was delighted to spot species such as the cormorant, African jacana (popularly called the “jesus bird” for its extraordinarily long toes that enable it to walk on floating vegetation), pied kingfisher, hadada ibis, and the common sandpiper, among others. The experience underscored IITA–CGIAR’s role not only as a hub for agricultural science but also as a center for biodiversity conservation and environmental stewardship. Babalola later met with IITA–CGIAR Director General, Simeon Ehui, himself once a Rotarian, who expressed appreciation for Rotary International’s progress in polio eradication and other global humanitarian efforts. In his remarks, Dr Ehui provided a brief history of IITA and addressed key FAQs about the Institute. He emphasized the urgent need for food security that led to its founding by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations. He reiterated IITA’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge science and research innovations that support economic development and food security across Africa and beyond. “Science, partnership, and impact—and accelerating transformative change in people’s lives—are key for us at IITA,” he stated.