From June 3 to 6, 2025, Dr. Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, visited the IITA Station in Cotonou, Benin. This visit offered an opportunity to engage with staff, review ongoing research innovations, and look for new ways to strengthen IITA’s agricultural research initiatives and partnerships in Benin.
Dr. Ehui was joined by Lahcen Ennahli, Special Advisor to the DG, Toyin Oke, Manager of Resource Mobilization, Protocol and External Liaison (RMPEL), and Sukurate Suleman, Executive Assistant to the DG. They toured the Arthropod Biodiversity Research and Conservation Center, which houses the largest insect and mite reference collection in West Africa.
With more than 385,000 insect specimens and 30,000 mite slides, this center plays a key role in identifying invasive species and supporting biodiversity programs throughout the region. Dr. Ehui praised the team for their work and emphasized the need to raise the profile of this important resource through better communication and by completing DNA fingerprinting on over 6,000 identified arthropod species.
Currently, it is estimated that 40-50% of the sub-region’s known arthropod diversity is preserved within this collection. IITA’s work in this field has been crucial in intercepting major invasive pests like the papaya mealybug and the fall armyworm and continues to provide effective arthropod identification services across West Africa.
