…says participants ‘ill proffer solutions to hunger, food security
Foluso Ogunmodede (PRO)
Apparently determined to proffer solutions to myriads food security and achieve improved and sustainable consumption in the country, professionals in organic agriculture in the nation’s tertiary institutions have thronged Nigeria’s fastest-growing university-the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Nigeria, with a view to rescuing the country from hunger and food security through wealth creation.
The professionals, armed with scores of scholars, captains of industries, experts in food production, traditional rulers, government agencies and parastatals were on hand to fashion out on how Nigeria would weather the hovering storm of acute food crisis.
Specifically, the Organic Agriculture Professionals in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria (OAPTIN) with the theme “Organic Agriculture: Wealth Creation and Sustainability” alongside experts across the country brainstormed on not only to improve food production, nutrition, end hunger, promote sustainable development but ensure consumption and production in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the event were the Chief Host and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, ably represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Prof. Bolanle Tajudeen Opoola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu, local organising Committee chairman, Prof. Olubode Olusegun, Prof. Gbenga Adeoluwa, Prof. Eyitayo Makinde, Prof. Olowe Victor, Prof. Moses Ojeifo, Dr. Chinwe Olowoyeye, Prof. Olusola Kehinde, who was represented by Prof. Olowe and Oba Olufemi Aribisala, the Alaaye of Ayedun Ekiti.
However, while declaring the OAPTIN 17th Annual Conference open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina, who was represented by Prof. Opoola lauded the group, urging them to “provide a leeway out of hunger and enable the general public to achieve sustainable production and to eat healthily, as the adage says health is wealth.”
Prof. Fasina went on: “The theme of the conference is very apt at this critical time and as one of the strategies to drastically improve food production is Organic Agriculture. Moreover, by doing this, two of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with relevance to Organic Agriculture are being addressed such as firstly, end hunger, achieve food security and improved Nutrition and second, promote sustainable agriculture and ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern.
“It will Interest you that FUOYE has engaged actively in ensuring food security within our community and nation at large by complying with the United Nations SDGs, using our FUOYE Green Revolution Project and lots of various agricultural projects, transforming our community from far and near.
“FUOYE Green Revolution are cultivation of 5hectares maize and cassava and the expansion of the field to 20ha in Oye campus, establishment of 5hectares oil palm plantation in Oye campus, construction of 2large scale greenhouses in Ikole campus with full irrigation facilities and cultivation of 5hectares of maize and vegetable crops in Ikole campus with the plan to also expand this to 20hectares in 2024.
“By this you will agree with me that we are together with you in proffering solutions to national problems by suppressing hunger, alleviating poverty and providing for livelihood of our populace.
“I’m of the opinion that your coming together to brainstorm the way forward for organic ways to food production, restorative preservation, processing and storage will further enhance the wealth of the average Nigerian and in the long run that of the nation.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Gbenga Adeoluwa of Soil Fertility, Department of Soil Science, University of Ibadan, who doubles as keynote speaker, said the conference would no doubt avail Nigerian with opportunities to tap into the wealth creation especially from the growing global organic agriculture business worth Euro 106.4billion and organic agricultural land of 72.3million hectares.
Although he acknowledged that despite opportunities, development of organic agriculture was still relatively low in Nigeria, the keynote speaker blamed this on poor understanding of organic agriculture compared to other leading countries in Africa.
Notwithstanding, Prof. Adeoluwa believed that the present economic situation in the country and the need to attract students in various agricultural programmes would no doubt make exploration of wealth creation from organic agriculture and sustainability inevitable.
He said:” The exponential development of the global organic agriculture sector is based on adequate knowledge of the Organic sector by practitioners.
“Agroecology is also growing. Nevertheless, the unfolding market opportunities globally especially in the developed countries of Europe and North America has revealed a shift in consumers’ preference towards safe and hazard free organic foods.”
