Mission
“To enhance food security and improve livelihoods in Africa through research-for development.”
 
Genetic resource activities
Genebank
“Conservation and use of plant genetic resources related to food security in Africa are the main objectives of genebank at IITA. IITA’s genebank is one of the oldest among the genebanks of International Agricultural Research Centers. We continue to collect, conserve, maintain, characterize, research, document, and distribute germplasm of a wide range of crops and their wild relatives. Major emphasis is on the major food crops of Africa namely cowpea, cassava, yam, soybean, bambara groundnut, and plantain and banana. Other crops, which are conserved and made available to researchers are maize germplasm of African origin and other underutilized or threatened crop species such as African yam bean, Kersting’s groundnut, and other miscellaneous legumes. An arboretum of multipurpose trees is also maintained on the campus.”
IITA holds over 25 000 accessions of bambara groundnut, cassava, cowpea, soybean, wild Vigna and yam in trust for the world community under agreements signed with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on behalf of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. [more...]
Agrobiodiversity Project
“The key objectives of this project are the efficient long-term conservation and use of genetic resources of staple and underutilized crop species, and increased efficiency and effectiveness of research aimed at exploiting their potential.” [more...]

Inter-Centre Working Group on Genetic Resources
Each of the CGIAR Centres has a representative on the Inter-Centre Working Group on Genetic Resources, SGRP’s steering committee. The Committee sets the strategy and priorities for SGRP and meets annually to review its workplan.