Listening First. Innovating Together.

The most impactful agricultural research begins by listening.

At JR Biotek Foundation, farmers are partners, not just beneficiaries. Through AGRIIP, we work alongside smallholder farmers and agricultural extension professionals to understand local priorities and co-create practical, climate-resilient solutions for African agriculture.

WHY FARMER PARTNERSHIPS MATTER

The best solutions are grounded in real experience. By listening to farmers first, we help ensure that research, innovation, and entrepreneurship respond to genuine challenges and opportunities across African food systems.

FROM INSIGHTS TO ACTION

Farmer insights help shape two flagship AGRIIP programmes.

AGRIIP Research Fellowship

Supporting African scientists to develop practical, evidence-based solutions to farmer-informed challenges.

AGRIIP Entrepreneurship Fellowship

Supporting innovators to transform research into climate-smart businesses that create jobs, strengthen value chains, and improve livelihoods.

WHAT WE’RE LEARNING

One of our most encouraging findings is the growing importance of Africa’s understudied indigenous crops.

Many farmers describe these crops as increasingly valuable because they are naturally adapted to local conditions, require fewer external inputs, and perform well under changing climates.

These insights are helping shape the next generation of research, innovation, and enterprise through AGRIIP.

AGRIIP IN ACTION

Abia State, Nigeria

Our first field demonstration brought together 50 smallholder farmers, scientists, and agricultural extension professionals for dialogue, climate resilience education, and community health outreach.

Kano State, Nigeria

Building on the Abia pilot, AGRIIP expanded to Kano through an inception meeting with extension professionals and a farmer sensitisation workshop involving 637 smallholder farmers, traditional leaders, and community stakeholders.

These engagements continue to shape future research, innovation, and entrepreneurship programmes.

WHY THIS APPROACH MATTERS

Traditional agricultural research often begins with researchers identifying problems.

AGRIIP starts by listening.

By combining farmer knowledge with scientific expertise, entrepreneurship, and strategic partnerships, we are helping build solutions that are practical, locally relevant, and designed for lasting impact.

Farmer Health, Safety & Wellbeing Initiative

Medical Outreach and Community Health Services

JR Biotek Foundation–AGRIIP recognises that improving agricultural productivity must also mean investing in the people who produce our food. As part of our farmer engagement in Abia State, Nigeria (pictures below), we integrated a medical outreach alongside our Farmer–Scientist Dialogue, providing free health assessments, medical consultations, nutrition and eye-care services, medications and referrals to farmers and other participants. The outreach revealed important health challenges among farmers, reinforcing our commitment to making farmer health, safety and wellbeing an integral part of how we strengthen resilient agricultural communities.

Impact at a Glance

The integrated programme delivered in collaboration with MOUAU generated significant outcomes that are now informing AGRIIP’s next phase of implementation and scale-up.

Applications & Registrations

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Scientists Trained In-Person

Scientists Trained Virtually

Climate Summit Participants

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Smallholder Farmers Engaged

Farmer & Community Health Outreach Beneficiaries

Listening First: How Farmer Voices Are Shaping the Future of Indigenous Crop Research in Nigeria

Across Abia and Kano States in Nigeria, JR Biotek Foundation–AGRIIP has been listening directly to farmers about the realities shaping how they grow food: changing weather patterns, declining productivity,

Beyond the Training: How JR Biotek Alumni Are Multiplying Impact Across Africa

From classrooms and laboratories to research collaborations, new technologies, scientific leadership and farmer-facing innovation, JR Biotek alumni are taking opportunities further, and creating opportunities for others.

Scientists and Farmers Should Not Exist in Separate Worlds

From listening to Nigerian farmers as an undergraduate to studying crop resilience at Cambridge, Christianah Oseni reflects on the experiences shaping her science, and why she chose to volunteer with JR Biotek Foundation.

From Molecular Biology Training to Research Leadership: Dr Obaiya Utoblo’s Journey

How continued training, collaboration and scientific networks are supporting a University of Jos researcher working to advance crop improvement and food security in Nigeria.

From Laboratory Skills to Drought-Resilient Crops: Beakal Tadesse Girma’s Journey

From gaining hands-on molecular biology experience with JR Biotek Foundation to pursuing PhD research on drought-tolerant tef, Beakal Tadesse Girma is applying science to questions that matter for African agriculture.

Building Science for Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Paul Soremi’s Journey

From molecular biology and open-labware training to interdisciplinary research in crop productivity, soil fertility and climate resilience, Paul Abayomi Sobowale Soremi reflects on how continued learning and scientific networks have shaped his development as a researcher, lecturer and mentor.

SUPPORT FARMER PARTNERSHIPS

Your support can help us:

“Together, we can ensure that research begins with farmers and delivers lasting impact.”

HELP US MULTIPLY IMPACT

Whether you are a scientist, university, donor, policymaker, entrepreneur, or volunteer, your support can help create the next generation of African agricultural leaders.