FAO lauds University Of Ibadan agricultural exploits

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has lauded the University of Ibadan for its successful completion of the project entitled, Aquaculture and Rural Communities: Farm Diversification Process through Integrated Agriculture – Aquaculture systems and Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chains for Better Nutrition Outcomes in Kebbi and Ebonyi states.

According to the FAO Project Coordinator and Investigator, Dr. Oluwafemi Ajayi, the project has been on for about three years, and the university has achieved more success than expected.

Ajayi said the project was adjudged the most successful of USAID-sponsored projects, adding that though the project should have ended in September 2023, more funds have been provided to extend the project to solve identified problems.

While disclosing this during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale in his office, Ajayi, said because UI did so well, the FAO would continue to support the farmers.

According to the FAO expert, UI is the only University in Nigeria that belongs to the Global Sustainable Aquaculture Advancement Partnership (GSAAP).

He assured that the Memorandum of Agreement (MoU), would be extended to enable UI contribute more to the project by taking the technologies to small-scale farmers because sustainability is one of the major focuses of the project.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebowale stated that not only the physical structures make up a university but the depth of its teaching and research.

He said he was not surprised at the success of the project because the UI Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management is a Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture.

Professor Adebowale said small-scale farmers are the mainstay of the agriculture chain, adding that efforts to reach them would have a tremendous impact on the national economy.

The research project was aimed at introducing a process of integrated rice-fish farming in two Nigerian states (Kebbi and Ebonyi), using farmer-managed farm diversification and intensification approach.

The objectives of the research were to consider the technologies that are accessible to local farmers, and analyse how integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) systems influence the safety nets, diets diversity, livelihood options, rural employment (especially for youth and women), the use of resources and the role of institutional and policy innovations.

A minimum of 200 farmers and 30 extension workers spread across Kebbi and Ebonyi States benefited and were trained through the farm diversification process, with 40 per cent of them being female and youth farmers.

The project was funded by USAID and facilitated by Mississippi State University.
The project was a collaboration between FAO – University of Ibadan and University of Georgia, USA, as implementing partners.

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and Michael Opara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, were national implementing partners.

The Guardian / Foluke Ibitomi