FUNAAB Alumnus Wins Top US Agricultural Honour

A graduate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has added another international distinction to his growing list of academic achievements, winning the prestigious Gamma Sigma Delta Scholarship in the United States.

Mr Olanrewaju Ahmed Binuyo, currently pursuing a PhD in Animal Science with a focus on Integrated Animal Health Systems (and affiliated with the Poultry Ethnomedicine Research Laboratory) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), received the award on April 23, 2026. The honour recognises his academic excellence, leadership and commitment to advancing agricultural sciences.

Gamma Sigma Delta, the international Honor Society of Agriculture, selects outstanding students who demonstrate high scholarship, leadership potential and dedication to the field. Membership and related awards are highly competitive, typically requiring graduate students to maintain a strong grade-point average (often 3.5 or higher) alongside evidence of research promise and service to agriculture.

Binuyo’s path from Abeokuta to the United States illustrates the global reach of FUNAAB training. He earned a Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Nutrition from the university in 2012 and later completed a Master’s degree in Animal Science (Monogastric Nutrition) in 2021. That foundation opened doors to competitive international opportunities, including the Novus Graduate Scholarship (NGS) sponsored by Novus Inc., a global animal nutrition company. In 2016, he was one of three FUNAAB graduate researchers selected for the award, which was presented at the Nigerian Poultry Show. The scholarship provided specialised training and research support and highlighted collaboration between Nigerian academia and international industry.

He also gained research exposure at the University of Missouri, further linking his Nigerian education with global scientific networks. Today his doctoral work sits at the intersection of animal health, livestock productivity and sustainable production systems—areas of rising importance amid challenges of food security and climate-resilient agriculture.

Recent publications co-authored by Binuyo reflect an expanding research profile that spans poultry nutrition and performance as well as related microbial and environmental health topics. His Google Scholar and ORCID records list contributions on broiler performance, graded vegetable oil inclusion, and collaborative studies on indoor air microbiomes and household water storage practices.

For FUNAAB, the achievement adds to a growing record of alumni succeeding in international research environments. As a specialised university focused on teaching, research and extension in agriculture and related disciplines, the institution continues to produce professionals who contribute to global knowledge in animal science, plant and soil sciences, agricultural engineering, food science and environmental management.

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Binuyo’s trajectory—from undergraduate and postgraduate studies at FUNAAB, through industry-supported scholarships and overseas research exposure, to recognition by Gamma Sigma Delta—underscores the value of strong academic grounding combined with research commitment and international collaboration. For aspiring agricultural scientists across Africa, it offers a clear example of how local training can lead to advanced engagement and impact on the world stage.

The latest honour is both a personal milestone and a further demonstration that FUNAAB graduates are active participants in the global agricultural research community, carrying expertise and innovation from Abeokuta outward.