Dons Appeal To FG, States To Fund Universities, Research Institutes To Boost Agricultural Production

The Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire has called on the Federal Government and the State governments in the South West to come to the aid of Universities and Research Institutions financially as they strive to fashion out means of overcoming the problems faced by farmers to be able to raise the standard of agricultural productivity in the country.

Prof. Bamire, while delivering his address during the 2022- 2023 Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage System ( REFILS) and 34th REFILS Workshop, which took place at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, I A R & T Ibadan, hinted that insecurity has become a challenge, which he said has impacted negatively on agricultural productivity in South West, Nigeria.

“News of farms being ravaged by cattle and the subsequent squabble between farmers and cattle rearers pervade everyday,” he said.

While speaking on the theme of the gathering; “Innovative Approaches To Tackle The Impact Of Climate Change And Insecurity on Agricultural Productivity in Southwestern Nigeria,” Prof. Bamire stated that time is ripe for everyone to begin to look into ways and means of addressing the issue to mitigate the negative impact it has had on agricultural productivity.

He however called on the participants to use the opportunity of the review and the REFILS workshop to begin to creatively develop innovations that would address the issue of climate change and insecurity that has affected agricultural productivity in the country.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Director of the Institute, Professor (Mrs) Veronica Obatolu called on the policy makers in the country to shift towards making agriculture the nation’s means of survival, especially now that the oil we depend on has failed us.

“There have been several challenges that have confronted our national life and these have made all developmental planners, policy makers and government agencies to search for means and ways to achieve sustainable economic growth and development .

“The country has long overdue depended on oil, which is gradually losing it’s glamour in the international market, hence the need for rigorous attention on agriculture as a means of salvaging the consistently reducing GDP of our country, Nigeria,” she said.

Prof. Obatolu also canvassed for growing the nation’s agriculture from the traditional subsistence farming to agri- businesses, which according to her, is capable of reducing unemployment among our youths.

While stating that the frequent clash between herdsmen and farmers remain one of the major banes of improved agricultural production and called on the government to come to farmers aid by curbing the menace, she identified inadequate funding as a major impediment to conduct research.

In his keynote address titled; “Innovative Research And Extension Service Delivery For Sustainable Agricultural Production And Economic Growth In Nigeria,” the Vice Chancellor of Osun State University, Osogbo, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye agreed that the country is in the bondage of inefficient and ineffective innovative research and extension service delivery for sustainable agricultural production and economic growth.

“We need to really and practically access innovative presentations and publications. We must go beyond mere publications and we must now asses real product of research,” he said.

He however, called on institutions to redirect research towards innovativeness and impact by establishing mandates that will guide research and research output.

Prof. Adeboye, in his keynote address, also disclosed that Nigeria, as a nation, was highly vulnerable to the global economic disruption caused by COVID – 19, particularly due to the decline in oil prices.

“As a nation, our economic outlook remains highly uncertain because of the volatility in the oil sector including an unexpected shock to oil prices and weaknesses in the financial sector.

“Even in the most favourable global context, the policy response of Nigerian authorities will be crucial to lay the foundation for a robust economy.

“That policy recovery should be hinged on honest investment in agriculture, there is nothing to replace food, man must eat and food must be made available for sale to everybody, ” he disclosed .

The Director of National Cereals Research Institute, Dr. Aliyu Umar, who was represented by Dr. Danbaba Nehemiah, in his remarks, noted that agricultural research and food productions require a lot of capital and called for collaboration with financial institutions in the subsequent editions of REFILS so that farmers can boost their productions to ensure food sustainability.

“Farming is now a business that requires lots of money and I therefore call on the management of the institute to involve financial institutions in the subsequent editions of the programme,” he said.

The four day programme had in attendance representatives of the Southwest States, Agricultural Development Programmes, sister agricultural research institutes and farmers from all the southwestern states.