OAUSTECH : Climate- Smart Agricultural Practices Only Gateway To Sustainable Food Security – Orelope-Adefulire

…… We are for developmental research, not teaching alone, research makes the university – VC

Climate-smart agricultural practices have been advocated as the pathway the gateway to sustainable food security and sufficiency in line with the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

This assertion was made by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, while delivering a keynote address, “Meeting the Challenges of Food Security of the UN SDG in Nigeria” on Tuesday, 14th November 2023 at the maiden conference of the School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Nigeria.

Represented by Dr. Ifeanyiwa Nnamchi-Nwangu at the three-day conference themed, “Sustainable Climate-Smart Agriculture in the wake of Food Insecurity and Migration,” Orelope-Adefulire disclosed that her office is ready to support and partner with OAUSTECH for its commitment to advancing knowledge in the crucial area of food security in the country.

According to Orelope-Adefulire, Climate-Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices would help Nigeria increase agricultural yields/productivity and incomes, adapting and building resilience to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are very hazardous to human, plant and animal survivability on earth.

The former Deputy Governor of Lagos State stated that in addition to embracing CSA, the government must ensure research institutions are strategically and properly funded to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more safe and sustainable patterns of consumption and production, improve education and raise awareness of human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warnings, substantially reduce bribery and corruption in all it’s forms and importantly ensure effective collaborations between government, private sectors, academia and industry to leverage policy, research and innovations to tackle this critical issues.

Her words : “In doing so, we will not only achieve food security in tandem with the SDGs but also build a prosperous and resilient nation”.

According to her, the Nigerian government is actively making efforts to address climate change impact through initiatives such as the Great Green Wall projects that are not only helping to restore degraded land but also contributing to biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation.

The SSA to the President on SDGs equally asserted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security and highlighted immediate areas of intervention and solutions to the challenges of food security in Nigeria.

While highlighting the areas of interventions of Government, she listed the release of grains and fertilizers to farmers, the creation of a commodity board, engagement of security architecture for the protection of farmers, directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria to fund agricultural value chains, increase revenue for food and agricultural exports, trade facilitation and creation of synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and that of Water Resources to ensure irrigation of farmlands.

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Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief host and the OAUSTECH Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, thanked the speaker for honouring the invitation of the University and for her acceptance to deliver the keynote address at the conference.

He commended the School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (SAFNR), OAUSTECH for taking the bold step to organize the conference, as he eulogized the Dean of the School, Prof. Oluyemisi Akinyemiju for giving direction and providing the right leadership for the School.

The Vice-Chancellor used the opportuinity to challenge other Schools in the University to follow and imitate the good focus and direction of the School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (SAFNR). “I want other Schools to wake up and organize educative programmes of this nature. We are for developmental research, not teaching alone, research makes the university, Ologunorisa emphasised”

In his opening address, the host and the Dean, of SAFNR, Prof. Akinyemiju asserted that if the tradition of organising special lectures, conferences, workshops and seminars continues, the University will continue to grow, make more meaningful impacts in society and gain more visibility and prominence in Nigeria and beyond.

The Dean who described the Vice-Chancellor as a visionary and proactive leader thanked him for his magnanimity and regular support for the School.

Concluding his speech, Prof. Akinyemiju appreciated members of staff and students of the SAFNR for their cooperation and, especially the Local Organising of the Maiden Edition of the School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (SAFNR) Conference Okitipupa 2023 Committee headed by Dr. Johnson Adedayo Ogunjobi, the Acting H.O.D, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Environmental Management for a job well done.

Participants at the Maiden Conference included Director General, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Zachariah B. Yaduma (represented), Dr. G.A. Fayenuwo, a veteran of the Forestry Association of Nigeria and former Dean of College of Agriculture, Food Science and Technology, Wesley University, Ondo State and Mr Shittu John, Lagos State Coordinator of Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Notable associations such as Grassroots Farmers Association of Nigeria, Niger Delta, Ondo State Branch were also present at the Maiden Conference.