(Photo: Professor Adebiyi Daramola , Vice Chancellor ,FUTA congratulating Professor Igbekele Ajibefun after delivering the 69TH Inaugural Lecture of FUTA)
The Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko who is also a Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, Igbekele Ajibefun, has set a 10-point agenda for the Muhammadu Buhari administration and other stakeholders on how to improve and sustain food security and agriculture’s contribution to National development. Ajibefun who delivered the 69th inaugural lecture of FUTA on Tuesday, June 2nd 2015 spoke on the topic, “Nigeria’s Agricultural Policy, Productivity and Poverty: The Critical Nexus”. He said for the nation to achieve food security and reduce poverty urgent steps must be taken to invest heavily in Research and Development, ensure guaranteed and unhindered access of small holder farmers to productivity-enhancing inputs; provision of sustainable rural financial and other services to ensure more systematic access to markets. He also canvassed for the access to breed of highly productive animals that can withstand the stress of the tropical environment; enhancement of rural finance and micro-enterprise development that can sustain development of small holder farming; institution of strategy and programme that can promote innovative solutions to rural poverty. Ajibefun also recommended the establishment of community-driven development approach, promotion of irrigation agriculture and drainage infrastructures for climate change adaptation and effective capacity building to strengthen the most vulnerable group in agricultural production as the pathways to the development and sustainability of the sector.
The don expressed optimism that agriculture can regain its position as the mainstay of the nation’s economy if farm households that constitute the bulk of the population continue to derive their livelihood from agriculture. “Heavy investment in research and development and effective interaction between researchers and the farm households are key elements in raising agricultural productivity and poverty reduction,” Ajibefun said. .To him Sustainable agricultural productivity growth can only be achieved through sustained local and global investment in agricultural research and development which will ensure delivery of improved technologies to farmers.
Ajibefun while not discountenancing the importance of farmers said suppliers of productivity-enhancing inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds as well as other key chain players such as transporters transporters, traders and processors, providers of technology or rural finance , domestic and foreign buyers are also critical to improving agricultural productivity.
In his remarks at the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adebiyi Daramola expressed his delight in the brilliant delivery of the lecture. Daramola said this of Ajibefun, “He is a distinguished scholar who has proven his managerial skill in the education sector. He is also a symbol of excellence. He is indeed, one of the alumni of this great University that has continued to be a shining light for others and a source of pride to us as a University”.
