Amidst the strong ongoing efforts of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Ibadan as one of the stakeholders in agriculture contributing her quota to the agenda of the Federal Government towards boosting agriculture to achieve food security, the Executive Director of the institute, Professor Veronica A. Obatolu, has highlighted dwindling funds as the major challenge affecting the research activities of the institute.

While she called for the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that their research and extension activities are not only demand-driven “but also in tandem with specific policies and goals set by the Federal Government of Nigeria,” she added that, “there are problems of dwindling funds which is affecting our research activities.”

She disclosed this during her address at the opening ceremony of the IAR&T’s 35th Southwest Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage Systems (REFILS) Workshop and Inhouse Review Exercise on Monday, April 15, 2024, at Prof E. A. Adebowale Training Hall, IAR&T, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Obatolu therefore, called for greater collaboration between the institute and the private sector for the realization of our vision of diversifying the economy.

She added that “the institute is ready to partner with any interested agencies, in the area of training and empowerment of youth and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.”

Appreciating stakeholders present at the inhouse review event, the Director assured, “we shall continue with our drive to develop agriculture as we are open and ready for collaboration to advance the development of agriculture for national development.”

“At the same time, we solicit for support in funding specific research, extension activities and infrastructural development,” she said.

On the theme of the year’s programme, “Boosting Productivity of the Food System in a Climate Crisis,” the Professor of Human Nutrition explained that since the age-long traditional ways of practicising agriculture and the ever dependence on small scale farmer to feed the ever-growing population of Nigeria has not provided solution to the current food crisis, the focus this year will “provide approaches towards increasing agricultural productivity in the face of the emerging global challenges caused by climate crisis.”

“This year’s event promise to be very educative. It will provide answers to some of the quest for sustainable economic growth and agricultural development. It will also unfold some practical attempts and breakthroughs of the institute and other relevant research centers towards mitigating the food security crisis in the country.”

Prof. Obatolu also prided on some of the recent achievements of the institute, saying “our exploit in the efficient use of soil and water management for sustainable increase in productivity of agricultural crops has resulted in the development of digitalised soil suitability mas in some local government area in the country, alongside complimentary soil and water management technologies and innovations.”