The CEO of the Centre for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CCSA) at Cosmopolitan University, Dr. Rislana Abdulazeez Kanya, was invited to visit the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture (ISA) in Changsha, Hunan Province — a leading research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (https://english.isa.cas.cn).

The visit, held from 2nd to 5th October 2025, marks a significant step toward building a strategic partnership between CCSA and ISA, aimed at fostering collaboration in climate-smart agriculture, soil and water management, and sustainable livestock production integrated with crop systems.

During the engagement, discussions centred on how ISA could support CCSA in establishing a teaching and demonstration farm for the upcoming Faculty of Climate-Smart Agriculture at Cosmopolitan University. Other key areas of discussion included joint research programs, technology transfer and capacity development initiatives designed to enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa. Both institutions expressed a shared commitment to leveraging advanced research and innovation to address challenges in food security and sustainable land management across tropical and subtropical regions.

As part of the visit, Dr. Kanya also toured one of ISA’s partner farms, which houses over 1,000 cattle dedicated to milk production. The visit provided firsthand insight into ISA’s integrated approach to livestock and crop system management.

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Kanya emphasised that partnerships of this nature are essential for driving agricultural transformation through science and technology.

“The Institute of Subtropical Agriculture has achieved outstanding advances in sustainable farming and environmental research. Through this partnership, we aim to learn and localise proven technologies that enhance soil fertility, optimise water use and build climate resilience practices in livestock and crop production systems.”

ISA primarily researches agricultural sustainable development, agroecosystem processes and adaptive management, integrated systems of livestock farming and crop production, watershed environmental health control and agricultural environmental microbiology.

The collaboration forms part of CCSA’s broader agenda to expand global research networks and promote knowledge exchange for sustainable agricultural development.

For more information on the Centre’s work and international collaborations, visit https://ccsa.cosmopolitan.edu.ng.