Insect centre announces African director-general

The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), whose headquarters are based in Nigeria, recently announced its new director-general.

Dr Abdou Tenkouano, who will be active in the role from January 2024, comes with a wealth of experience in agriculture and leadership. Having served as the executive director of the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development, he has led the field in agricultural research and development while assisting smallholder farmers.

Tenkouano is from Burkino Faso and obtained the following qualifications: Ingenieur du Developpement Rural (Agronomie) degree from the University of Ouagadougou, MSc in Plant Breeding from Texas A&M University, and a PhD in Genetics, also from Texas A&M University.

He has worked across sub-Saharan Africa with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Mali; the International

Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana; and the World Vegetable Centre, Tanzania and Mali.

The ICIPE said it welcomed Tenkouano for his wealth of experience in development, particularly in Africa. He would assist them in their mission to promote sustainable development, ensure food security and improve the health of African communities.

TRANSFORMATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Tenkouano told Food Tank: “I firmly believe in inclusive innovations as the engine for transformative socioeconomic development in Africa. I also recognise the complexities that must be addressed by research and development institutions to achieve this goal.”

The centre conducts research on insects to develop accessible solutions to tackle crop pests and diseases.

It said in a statement: “In Africa, insect pests are a key component among complexities of water scarcity, land degradation and poor soil health, which continue to hinder agricultural productivity and food security. In some instances, insects cause the loss of entire crops in the field, and in others, they destroy significant amounts of harvested food in storage.”

The centre’s mission is to use insect science for sustainable development, to ensure food security and improve the overall health of communities in Africa by addressing the interlinked problems of poverty, poor health, low agricultural productivity and environmental degradation.

“Since its founding, ICIPE has remained committed to developing and disseminating environmentally safe, affordable, acceptable and accessible tools and strategies to control insect pests and disease vectors. ICIPE’s mandate further extends to the sustainable conservation and utilisation of Africa’s rich biodiversity,” it said.

Tenkouano added: “I consider ICIPE to be ahead of the curve. and I look forward to continuing the rhythm of continuation and evolution set by my predecessors.”