Position: Director General (Designate), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Effective Start Date: November 1, 2011

Background: Dr. Nteranya E. Sanginga, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been appointed as the new Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). His appointment was announced on May 20, 2011.

Education:

• PhD: Agronomy/Soil Microbiology, Joint Program between IITA and Institut Facultaire des Sciences Agronomiques, Yangambi, DRC.
• Postgraduate Training: Extensive training at IITA.

Career:

• Current Role: Director, CIAT-Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (CIAT-TSBF), Nairobi.
• Previous Experience:
  • IITA: Served for 14 years in various roles including Principal Scientist, Head of Soil Microbiology Unit, Project Coordinator for High Intensity Food and Forage Crop Systems, and Leader of the Multidisciplinary Program for Cereal-Legume Systems.
  • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Austria.
  • University of Zimbabwe.
  • CIAT-TBSF: Oversaw a substantial increase in portfolio from $1.2 million in 2003 to over $14.5 million in 2010.

Achievements:

• Research and Development: Known for his work in applied microbial ecology, plant nutrition, and integrated natural resources management across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
• Institution Building: Played a pivotal role in expanding CIAT-TSBF’s research focus and securing significant funding.
• Consortium Creation: Instrumental in forming the Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA), partnering with IITA, CIAT-TSBF, Bioversity, Belgian universities, and national partners in DRC, Burundi, and Rwanda.
• Capacity Building: Trained over 30 PhD candidates, many of whom now hold leadership roles in their respective countries.

Vision for IITA: As the incoming Director General, Dr. Sanginga plans to strengthen IITA’s research and partnerships, build on past achievements, and enhance scientific and administrative capacities. His goal is to further IITA’s mission of increasing agricultural production, food security, and income across sub-Saharan Africa.

Successor to: Dr. Peter Hartmann, with tenure concluding on October 31, 2011.