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Don Identifies Climatic Change, Clashes Between Farmers And Herdsmen As Cause Of Food Scarcity

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Climatic change, and clashes between farmers and herdsmen have been identified as the major impediment to food sufficiency.

This was contained in the welcome address of the Director of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ibadan, Professor Veronica Obatolu during the 35th South West Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage System (REFILS) and 2023/24 Annual Research Review.
“Our age long traditional ways of practicing agriculture and the ever dependence on small scale farmers to feed the ever-growing population of this country has not been able to provide solution to our food crisis, most especially in the face of the crisis of climate change.
“These, according to her, were the reason for the choosing theme of this year’s workshop! “Boosting productivity of the food system in a climate crisis,” she said.
She however, disclosed that the institute, as one of the stakeholders in agriculture, has been contributing it’s quota to the Federal Government’s agenda in the area of boosting agriculture to achieve food security under it’s research mandate.
In his speech at the occasion, the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife Professor Simeon Bamire, commended the positive efforts of Professor Veronica Obatolu in ensuring food security in the country through various developmental projects in the agricultural sector.
“We are happy that you are on ground and your impact is been felt positively, the VC stated.
Professor Banire also said that the collaboration between the Institute and the University has been instrumental in driving positive changes and promoting sustainable developments and channel collaborative efforts towards institutionalising research and development  R$D in the agricultural sector thereby contributing to national development and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Prof. Banire however, urged the institute to consider the development of prototypes of technologies and innovations for the commoditisation of priority agricultural value change in Nigeria and to be done according to international standards and in value addition process.
He also urged the institute and all the sister agencies, companies and individual researchers to develop strategic studies to provide evidence -based, science -led sustainable solutions that safeguard the nation’s agricultural productivity amidst challenged such as insecurity at various levels.
The Osun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Otunba Tola Faseru, also commended the Institute and affirmed that the state government is ready to partner with the Institute towards the development of Agric in the state.
Mr. Olaogun Musbau ,who represented KENAF Farmers and Processors  Association, urged the participants to be patient, saying that the dividends and succour to their agricultural challenges will soon become a thing of the past, while also commending the IAR$T for the various initiatives towards boosting agriculture in the country.
The four-day workshop had in attendance representatives from all the South Western States ADPs led by their Programm Managers as well as private and government owned agricultural institutions.
—Kunle Bakare.
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