Africa is Blessed with Arable Land: UI DVC Advocates for Food Security
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration of the University of Ibadan emphasized Africa's agricultural potential during a courtesy visit by the Deputy Director General of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
In a bid to address food insecurity in Africa, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration of the University of Ibadan (UI), Professor Peter O. Olapegba, has underscored the continent's abundance of arable land. Speaking on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, during a courtesy visit by Dr. Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Professor Olapegba emphasized Africa's agricultural potential.
RECOMMENDED: UI Students Chosen for Prestigious U7+ Student Challenge in Cote D’Ivoire
"Africa is blessed with arable land. We ought not to have problems with feeding our people," stated Professor Olapegba. He highlighted the correlation between food security and poverty, noting that Africa's perceived poverty stems partly from its inability to adequately feed its population.
During the meeting, Professor Olapegba urged Dr. Dashiell to leverage IITA's research findings to tackle the food challenges prevalent across the continent. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between IITA and UI in sharing ideas and research findings to drive agricultural innovation and development.
SEE MORE: University of Ibadan (UI) Admission Requirements for 2024/2025 Academic Session
Furthermore, Professor Olapegba encouraged individuals to adopt sustainable practices such as cultivating small vegetable gardens on their premises. This, he believes, can contribute significantly to enhancing food security at the grassroots level.
The visit by Dr. Dashiell signifies a step towards fostering collaboration between academic institutions and research organizations to address pressing socio-economic issues, particularly food insecurity, in Africa. Through strategic partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives, stakeholders aim to unlock Africa's agricultural potential and pave the way for sustainable development.
As Africa grapples with food insecurity, initiatives that harness the continent's agricultural resources hold the key to unlocking economic prosperity and improving livelihoods across the region. The collaboration between UI and IITA exemplifies a concerted effort to harness Africa's agricultural potential for the benefit of its people.
READ ALSO: UI Teams Up with University of Edinburgh to Combat Climate Change
