Jamila Omowunmi Mohammed Audu

Agriprenuers leading the way with agricultural innovation across the globe In the world of agriculture, innovation is key to achieving sustainable growth and increasing productivity. The Business Incubation Platform (BIP) at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is an instrument of commercialization in agricultural innovation across Africa. Through BIP, the development and commercialization of several successful agricultural innovations have helped farmers across the continent improve crop yields and increase their profits. With a mission to create an active ecosystem of young entrepreneurs, BIP has been working towards painting a bigger picture for the future of African farmers and communities. The platform is now expanding to eastern and central Africa, with plans to develop and commercialize over ten innovations that will help address some of the key challenges facing African farmers, such as pests and diseases, lack of access to water, and poor soil quality. One of the key innovations that BIP has developed is AFLASAFE, a biological control product that helps protect crops from fungal diseases. This innovation has been successful in reducing the incidence of fungal growth on crops like maize and so on. This has improved food safety and increased profits for farmers. Another innovative product, NODOMAX, is a bio-fertilizer that improves the yield and quality of legume crops by fixing nitrogen in the soil. GoSeed is also an innovation in the world of agriculture by BIP, responsible for promoting the commercial distribution of early generation seeds of improved crop varieties developed by IITA-CGIAR Centers worldwide. The IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) embraced the term “agriprenuer” making it significant to impact the agricultural sector through BIP, engaging young people by providing employment opportunities and promoting food sustainability. IYA equips young people with skills and knowledge, motivating them to engage in the agriculture space. Debo Akande, the director of the Business Incubation Platform (BIP), has been empowering the next generation of agriprenuers with the platform, encouraging them as they build a brighter tomorrow in agriculture. By addressing the key challenges facing African farmers, BIP is paving the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future for the continent as a whole.