Value addition key to Africa’s food and nutrition security

An agribusiness boot camp was organized recently to improve the learning skills of the agribusiness Masters’ students from the Rome Business School (RBS) within a non-traditional learning system. During the boot camp, organized by the IITA–CGIAR Training Unit, participants learned how to improve and commercialize the seed system to ensure food sufficiency and improve the nutritional status of Africans. IITA External Training Manager Olumodupe Banwo coordinated the training.

IITA Food and Nutrition Science (FNS) Research Associate Gregory Nwaoliwe reiterated the importance of agricultural value addition as the key to food sufficiency and good nutrition in Africa. He listed the various activities involved in value addition, including post-harvest handling and processing; provision of technologies for production and handling; grading criteria and facilities; and packaging and marketing.

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