FUTA Agriculture Sector Conference

The Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) organized a conference to lecture participants, Highlights on How to Improve Agriculture Sector.

For Nigeria to optimize the dividends of its vast potential in Agriculture, sustainable mechanization must be put in place to increase land productivity by facilitating timeliness and quality of cultivation.

 This was the position of a Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Matthew Olugbenga Oyeyemi at the 11th annual lecture of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT), of the Federal University of Technology Akure. The lecture with the title “Agricultural Revolution for Sustainable Livelihood” was held on May 11, 2023.

 Oyeyemi said the support opportunities that relieve the burden of labor shortages and enable households to withstand shock better, and above all to reduce poverty and achieve food security while improving people’s livelihood should form the core of policies in the sector.

Professor Oyeyemi defined sustainable Agriculture as the management and conservation of the natural resource base and the orientation of technological change in such a manner as to ensure the attainment of continued satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations. According to him, the roles of Agriculture in the Nigerian economy include the creation of employment for the ever-increasing population, a source of food supply, a contributor to the national income thereby increasing revenue earnings, eradication of poverty, growth of industrialization, diversification of the economy, a major source of foreign earnings and a major source of supply for industries in need of raw material.

However, Professor Oyeyemi said challenges such as access to farmland, inadequate finance, poor transport system, aging farmer population, poor education, poor road network, and incessant insecurity are militating against the sustainability of the sector.

He recommended that farmers should be supported to adopt sustainable modern practices of farming so as to increase yield thereby increasing earnings. He advised that policies that are feasible and favorable should be pursued by all tiers of government, thereby encouraging the teeming youth and populace to embrace Agriculture. Professor Oyeyemi said new and improved technologies should also be introduced to generate quality yields.

Speaking earlier the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji represented by Deputy Vice-chancellor, of Development (DCVD), Professor Sunday Oluyamo said one of the greatest challenges facing the nation is the inflationary trend in the price of food items and the fact that most of the farmers still operate at subsistence level is not helping the situation. According to the Vice Chancellor, the theme is very apt and challenging in the sense that it dwells on the consequences of the current economic and security situation on the agricultural sector and proffers the way out. She gave kudos to the guest speaker and expressed optimism that the 11th FUTA-AGRIC 2023 CONFERENCE would revolutionize Agro ventures to the benefit of Nigeria.

In an earlier remark the Dean of SAAT, Professor Oluwatooyin Osundahunsi thanked the Vice Chancellor for her constant support of the school. She said particular care was taken to ensure that the theme addressed some of the contemporary challenges of agriculture in Nigeria.

The Chairman, of the conference committee, Dr Oluwole Akinagbe thanked all participants present and also thanked the management, for its continuous support toward the success of the conference. 

In a goodwill message, the Executive Director, of the United Nations African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education –English (UN-ARCSSTE-E) Professor Babatunde Rabiu, represented by Deputy Director Space Applications, Dr. Bolarinwa Balogun assured the organizers of his unalloyed support at all times, including future engagements and activities. Professor Rabiu said he hopes that resolutions from the conference will be of great benefit to Nigeria, Africa, and the global community at large.

MySchoolNews reporting.