The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Kayode Adebowale, has described the Innovation Lab Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security (PiLAF) initiative as a strategic and logical project that will significantly enhance capacity building and promote sustainable food security in Nigeria.
Adebowale stated this during the commissioning of a building donated by PiLAF to the Faculty of Agriculture of the premier university.
Speaking through Professor Ayodele Jegede, the Vice Chancellor noted that the project marked a vital step in improving teaching, research, and policy formulation in agricultural development. He urged the faculty to fully engage with PiLAF and ensure that the facility is utilised for its intended purpose.
“This is an encouraging development. PiLAF will not only support academic growth but also contribute to national efforts aimed at ensuring food security,” he said.
In his remarks, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, the Principal Investigator of PiLAF, stated that the organisation would continue to collaborate with experts from various disciplines to examine agricultural policies and address food security challenges.
Adenikinju noted that PiLAF engages experts from various disciplines to address the issue of people working in silence, adding that the project aims to leverage the talents on the university campus.
The professor, who is the National President of the Nigerian Economic Society, stated that PiLAF was established five years ago to influence agricultural policies through research, capacity development, and effective collaboration among all stakeholders along the agro-food system.
Adenikinju noted that the organisation had, since its establishment, worked in collaboration with the government and some private sectors. He sought greater collaboration with the government and private sectors to address the problems faced by the country’s agricultural sector.
Also speaking, Professor Olusanya Olubusoye, a Senior Advisor to PiLAF, lauded the initiative as a symbol of innovation and foresight. He called on stakeholders and the academic community to commit to the long-term sustainability of the project. “Let PILAF’s work resonate for generations. This is a legacy we must protect and build upon,” he said.
The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Babatunde Omojola, lauded PiLAF for the project, saying it would be of immense benefit to the faculty’s students. Omojola added that the incubation centre would be a place where leaders of tomorrow are trained and where researchers converge to share ideas.
In his submission, the Executive Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Agribusiness and Director at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr. Adebowale Akande, who was represented by Engineer Dialo, reaffirmed IITA’s readiness to collaborate with PiLAF.
Akande emphasised that collective efforts were crucial in tackling food security challenges in Nigeria. Prof. Olugbenga Falode, Prof. Stella Odebode, and others lauded the initiative.
