Ogun Commissioner, Dr. Adeola Odedina Tasks Agricultural sector on need to collaborate with tertiary institutions in Nigeria
The Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State, Dr Adeola Odedina has tasked stakeholders in the agricultural sector and tertiary institutions on need to collaborate more in order for the country to achieve food security.
Odedina stated this on Tuesday while delivering a public lecture on ” Agricultural Development and Food Security in the 21″ Century Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects” at the Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State.
Odedina said that the Internal mechanisms must be put in place in tertiary institutions to prepare students for jobs and wealth creation in Agriculture .
He added that tertiary institutions should embark on visible and proven business options that is course related , coaching / business planning , relationship with industries, networking and collaboration.
The Commissioner of Agriculture in Ogun State, Dr Adeola Odedina, commissioning the Greenhouse/Nursery in Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State .
According to him, “Achievers University is taking the lead in agricultural development and value chain development . The University agreed that they’re going to be working with a lot of stakeholders to develop agriculture and to make agriculture attractive to young people starting from within.
“This lecture is talking about challenges of Agricultural Development , how we can solve it and how we can cope with the present challenges . Am sure, with what we’ve seen here with the environment and the style, they’ll excel in taking the lead in agricultural development.
The Commissioner listed the challenges of agricultural development and food security to include infrastructural deficit, land issues, finances, input, technology and lack of value chain coordination .
He therefore highlighted the way forward to include agricultural education, value chain coordination, agricultural financing, international support for agriculture including project ( Special Agro Processing Zone of African Development Bank (AFDB), infrastructure, market linkage,centre for large orders , Africa continental free trade agreement).
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Omolola Irinoye in her welcome address, said that research and innovations are needed in agriculture to drive increase food production, food that has greater nutritional value, production system that produce more food, reduce food loss and waste with less environmental damage.
She added that, assuring food security is core to achieving healthy living, reducing ill health and managing many diseases.
Her words: “Universities are challenged as source of knowledge to resolve societal challenges through innovative interventions.
Achievers University is striving to be at the fore front of collaboration with stakeholders to find solutions to the Nigeria problems in particular and globally.”
Meanwhile, the Pro Chancellor of the Institution, Dr. Bode Ayorinde, explained that the problem of unemployment in the country, should propel proprietors of Universities to introduce the youth into agric economy.
He added that if the student graduate and they’re distance to farming in a modern method , they have failed in their responsibilities as proprietors of Universities.
Dr Bode explained further that the mission is to introduce the students into what can be profitable beyond white collar Jobs.
His words ” The community also will benefit immensely, whatever we produce here is for the community and our immediate environment .
“We’ll also train thousands of students that pass through this place so that some of them can employ themselves in this type of business as they graduate from this university .”
