ICRISAT Commemorates its 54th Foundation Day in Mali
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) marked its 54th foundation day on April 3 in Mali, the hub for its regional offices in West and Central Africa. The celebrations brought together ICRISAT staff and partners.
A highlight of the event was the visit of students from Tremplin High School (Lycée Tremplin). Students toured ICRISAT and explored specialty crops, including sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, and groundnut, which play a crucial role in ensuring food security for millions across Africa. They also visited the laboratories and had engaging conversations with researchers in agricultural research for development-related areas.
Inspiring Future Collaborations
The visit sparked new ideas for collaboration, said Mr Alou N’Daou, Head of Tremplin High School.
“We have seen many fascinating things that have inspired us. Our students were thrilled and full of questions. During this visit, an idea emerged, for example, to expand our school into a university linked to ICRISAT’s fields of expertise. Given the satisfaction we’ve gained from this experience, we believe this is a tangible project we can discuss and work toward,” Mr N’Daou said.
Speaking to the visitors, the ICRISAT Country Representative expressed his appreciation for the strong partnership between ICRISAT and Mali. He also commended the students’ enthusiasm for science and agricultural research.
"Research for development is vital for the long-term progress of any country. Any sustainable strategy for growth and poverty reduction must prioritize agricultural development. Collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge sharing are essential to the success of research efforts and, consequently, to the empowerment and training of future generations," said Dr Ayoni Ogunbayo, Country Representative, ICRISAT–Mali.
Reflections from Participants
Reflecting on his experience, Mr Madou Diarra, a technical staff who witnessed ICRISAT debut in Mali said working at ICRISAT as a technical staff member has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. Although, not a trained scientist, Diarra said he learned and achieved a lot as a field staff on crop improvement operations.
Students also shared their insights:
“Through this visit, we learned a lot about plants, their development, and conservation methods. Seeing the cold storage, laboratory, and disease control methods was fascinating. On behalf of all Tremplin students, thank you,” said Mr Amadou Haidara, a 10th-grade student (Lycée Tremplin).
“Visiting ICRISAT was an honor. We discovered that agriculture is not just about plants but an entire ecosystem, including laboratory experiments such as cold storage, pathology research, and aflatoxin detection. As students, curiosity is our second nature, and at ICRISAT, we were thrilled to ask questions and receive answers," added Ms Ndeye Coumba Wade, an 11th-grade student specializing in economics and social sciences (Lycée Tremplin).
ICRISAT and Mali: A Model Partnership
ICRISAT’s partnership with Mali, through the Institute of Rural Economy (IER), began in 1979 with research on sorghum and millet. By the 1990s, the collaboration expanded to include improved soil fertility management, productive tree cropping systems, inclusive agricultural value chains, and approaches to enhancing family nutrition and women's roles in agriculture.
This Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) partnership has led to significant achievements, including the large-scale dissemination of improved millet, sorghum, and groundnut varieties, contributing to poverty reduction, food security, and environmental sustainability in Mali. These efforts benefit not only Mali but also countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal.
Agathe Diama