Côte d’ivoire delegates seek strategic collaboration with iita to bolster coffee and cocoa research

Delegates from Côte d’Ivoire’s Council of Coffee and Cocoa (CCC) and the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (CNRA) visited IITA-CGIAR headquarters in Ibadan from 7 to 11 April. The familiarization visit marked the first in a series of engagements to build strategic partnerships, explore research models, and adopt modern technologies to strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s agricultural development—starting with its key commodities: coffee and cocoa.

Côte d’Ivoire is prominent in global agriculture, accounting for 45% of the world’s cocoa and 24% of cashew production, and it ranks as the second-largest oil palm producer in Africa. Recognizing the importance of research in sustaining this status, POKOU Désiré, Scientific Coordinator at CNRA, emphasized, “Our government and decision-makers have decided to upgrade research in coffee and cocoa, with the mission to research and implement best practices to optimize production.”

Welcoming the delegates, IITA’s Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery, Kenton Dashiell, highlighted the alignment of goals between IITA and CNRA. “We share similar needs in infrastructure development, funding, and delivering on food security. IITA is fully committed to collaborating with you to achieve your mission,” he said.

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