THE Acting Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Anthony Elujoba has declared that for the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve its target in diversifying the economy through agriculture, there is an urgent need to standardise price control due to the threat that local market pose to entrepreneurs in the sector.
He made the declaration on Tuesday at the 2017 Annual In-House Review Exercise of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training Moor Plantation, Ibadan.
Our checks revealed that the yearly review is done in order to appraise the institute’s challenges, achievements and prospects.
The University Don, Elujoba who was represented by the Provost, Post Graduate College OAU, Professor David Alebiowu disclosed that farmers are taking a lot of risks in marketing their products due to wobbly prices, averring that stabilization of the market system will help to boost agriculture in Nigeria.
He stressed, “Government must also standardise price control because local market volatility is the biggest threat to entrepreneurs in agriculture. The farmers are taking a lot of risks in marketing their products due to unstable prices.
“Stabilization of the market system till boost agriculture in Nigeria”.
“The greatest challenge is how to reposition agriculture as the sector still has the potentials to transform the economy. In order to overcome the challenges and improve agricultural productivity, improves implements and tools must be deployed to agricultural production, modern irrigation techniques, soil, crop and animal improvement programme must be energised.
“The system must also ensure better storage, processing and transportation methods”, Elujoba added.
Speaking further, he maintained that mono-economy needs to give way to the production development of various sectors of the economy, assuring that the agricultural sector if well developed will enhance provision of food and raw materials, jobs creation, reduce poverty for the Nigerian teeming population.
The Vice Chancellor charged, “in the face of the present challenges, it is expected that research institutes develop technologies that are demand- driven and adapt information and communication technologies (ICT) tools to effectively disseminate information for efficient decision making process by our farmers”.
In his own remarks, the Executive Director of IAR&T, Professor James Adediran disclosed that no fewer than 4,000 farmers have benefited from the institute’s training programs during the period under review.
He hinted that the motive of the training for the farmers, intending farmers, members of Non -Governmental Organisations, women and unemployed youths was to reduce poverty, reduce unemployment and create jobs.
“During the year under review, some achievements apart from areas of research have been recorded in areas of infrastructure and human resources developments.
“Over 4,000 farmers, intending farmers, non – governmental organization, women and unemployed youths benefited from training programmes conducted by the institute. The objective was to carry out training that will lead to poverty reduction, job and wealth creation. The farmers in turn were mandated and empowered to train other farmers in their various locations”, he submitted.
Speaking further, in the area of staff development, Adediran posited, ” this year, few of our scientists and technical staff could attend both international and local conferences where they presented their research findings. However, over 150 staff were promoted, with emergence of three additional professors in the institute.
He, also advocated that research institutes, extension agents, input suppliers and farmers must work together in order to achieve the set – goals for agricultural development in the country. “Research institutes, must continue to embark on demand driven and market oriented projects that will solve problems of farmers and industries”.
“The state governments must therefore revive the Agricultural Development Programmes which serve as bridge between the research institutes and the local farmers”.
