Research activities in the
agricultural sector over the last 12 months are majorly targeted at improving
productivity of the sector as well as improving the lives of farmers,
particularly the small holder farmers.
Just recently was the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
(IITA) and Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), to unleash the potential
of agriculture and natural resources in Africa.
The MoU is to help in building the
critical human capital to address present and future challenges like climate
change, pest and disease of the agricultural sector. It will also look into the
development of the sector while engaging the youths and giving them the needed
tools to be fruitful.
The 2012 edition of Global
Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21) held in June in Uganda had
over 300 global leading cassava researchers in attendance who
discussed the ways to improve productivity of cassava with the use of
scientific research and development approach.
As a body working on
research and development of cassava crop, GCP21 has 45 member institutions conducting
research about the crop.
NaijaAgroNet recalled that
researchers at the GCP21 urge concerned stakeholders dialogue with farmers and
other stakeholders using scientific and technical meetings that farmers can
actually leverage on research and development for a better productivity.
Other issues discussed
during the conference include seeking smart strategies, funding opportunities
and catalyzing solutions to tackle technical challenges like cassava
genomics, and bringing about a significant transformation in cassava in order
to impact people’s lives, especially those that depend on the crop for
survival.
On the other side, The Wellcome
Trust late 2011 granted the sum of £500,000 about N128.044 million for a
research on how humans influence domestic dogs.
The study which happens to be the
largest studies into the relationship between man and dog looked into the way
man breed, feed, train and socialize with dogs.
Also earlier in 2012, the International
Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) hosted a gathering of United
Kingdom (UK) Parliamentarians and Civil Servants, African farmers,
international donors and scientists which called for a reshape of agricultural
research which would serve as developmental goals and work towards public good.
Items that topped the
agenda of the gathering include plant breeding and seed selection,
options for managing soil fertility, options for developing accessible markets,
ways of governing, organising, funding and practising research.
The types
of policies needed to transform Africa’s agriculture, comprising changes to
tenure, subsidies and investment were also discussed.
Yinka Awosanya/LS
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology
