Nigerian Tribune 15 Tuesd ay, 18 October, 201 1
HE Executi ve Director, Institu te o f Ag ricultural Re~.(!arch a nd Training (IAR&T). Moor Plantaliol', Ap.,la, Ibildan, OyoSlate. Profcssorl3enjamin
ralOf)' services; o rg . .mising training murses ill1C1 workshops; as lvcll as through agricu Uur.tl ia'GItion fund . He also explained that 10 gel fund through the
Ogunbodede. has called for the introduction of agricul-
commen:Wisation of Iaboralory serY1re5, t1Hl the p-emmt'nl
T
must supply starc-of...m equip,nent 10 researdl institutes. Asked 10 ex plain how Ihis could be achieved. the tAR&T boss s.,id; "to be able 10 do this effecti\'ely and efficiently. there is the need fo r tile p rocu rement of slaleof-the-artcqu ipment. complemented with relevant manpower d evelopme nt as well as prO\·ision of stable power s upply . On how to gene r;'!te hUld throu gh agrinlltural tax fund , the agricultu re lecturer s., id there are many (Ompanics in N igeria today that u tilise the results of agricultura l research as the raw m<lteriills for the ir prod.. u cts, which are sold at huge profits both locally ilnd inte m;'!tio nall y. . In his words, Hsuch comp.l1tie:s should be com pelled to pay a tax o f at least one percent of such profits. Thisshould also be ploughed back to p romote more indeplh research in Ihese areas. 11,e ;'Idminislration of this fund could be similar to lh al o f the Educalion Tax f und w hid! is indeed ron lributing significa lly to tertiary educatio n in N igeri" al Ih~ mom en t." he ad .... ised. furth e nnore, the t'.'tpert called for the generatio n uf fund throo g h Ihe end uw m~nl o f professo rial e1lairs/ sponsored research . a liem;\tives thi'l l cou ld be explored r<Lise fund fo r re"The world over, there is synergy belween research scarch activi ties include; writing of proposals for na- and ind us try. As pMtne r in progress. these t\\'o im pertion .. 1and international funding;romlTl(,'l'(jajisationof labo- lan l segmenlsof anyco uiltry mus t work log~lher.for the ~~----~~,,--~~~~~==~7.=r======---.-----~ be n e fil o f each segme n t a n d in the lo n g fu n. the nation 011 large. " Wh ile re sea rch mus t lentio n is g iven to Ihe porting foods to other naoil btL .. incss when!: yoU exNigelia. I d on't know when endea\'o ur to be re leva nt 10 tions. but :see w here IW are rountJy's agricul turn.l sector, pect inlll~ate proceed or Ihe yearnings and aspi ra Iw're going to adlic\'e J'ood the sector is " singular ven- profil suf6Oency, let a lone noIlo today. lions of the industrial secThe fuecu ti ....e Director, ture that is capable of gener- . Bul if you want 10 be d0- lor, by eng aging ill resea rch tillt C">{ being food secured We are oVer 50 years of age of Yomlob Tes limony alingOO pern'lltemployment ing yes sir, yes sir, 10 other tha t wi ll solve mutually people for the rest of you r Iifu. iden tified problems, indusas a n.,tJon. yet. we are still Fanns, 1rewo n f Odoyanta opprtunity for Nigerians. Achieving food sca.uity ~you may rv:>l bea fanner importing large bulk o f rood, Ijebu-Ode.. Ogun State. try o n Ihe o the r hil nd Ollist is a collective responsibi ltics further explained that agriand continue 10 wor k for foeds being consumed by be prepared to fund :sum Nigerians Honestly, it is a culture should be a profes- just like security issues and oUe.peopIe. But if.xour tar- researdl; ' he cmphils iscd. sion for aU, even if you an! there is the need for every get is a long-lasting mn!Sts hllme ." Moreover, Pro fe ssur Nigerian 10 realise thai ag- mcnl lhat would continue 10 :These were the words of into another profession. Ogunbodede posited Ihat He e mphaSised. " then:! riculhue is a b lessed pro- take rore of yOUT and it is 0 11 this basis thilt reis noth ing stopping you as fessio n ord ai ned by God search establishmen ts a nd an inclivXluaJ from having a and that is why those w ho un iversi ties, es pecially in fann of your own.. You em g;Jve themselves 10 Ihe pro;'!d va n ced economies. are also be a part-time famlcr fess ion wou ld not lac k rommissioncd by the induseven if you are working in good things. So I encour1n., 1 :sector 10 pro\,;de soluother mmpanies likeoil teJe- aged ourgovemment at the tions 10 pressing is s ues OJnununica.tton a nd even three tier level. ~pecial1y wi thin s lip ulil led lime in bank." now Ihat we are ove r 50 frames. In Ihis way, he rei tBanjo. who is into large- years o f;'! ge I\.S a nation,. 10 erated, the reSl'ilrdl sector :scale comme rcial pou ltry do more of sensisilis.ltio n receh·es the much needed and fish fdTllting explained a nd education to enlighten I. fu nds for fund that it is not po6SIble for the our people, especialll y, infr;'!stru cturill developgovwvnenl to provide em· you ths 10embrnrecomlTlerment, whi le in novative ployment for tilOusnnds of cial fanning." he advised. S peaking furlber. M r unemployed yooths in the breakthroughs that wiU CIlh.,~ productivity in the inadding that if the Banjo who is a n'Ien'lberoC the Government wruJd Cat Fish Association of Nidustry are ~ased. and stop paying lip servia? geria. Poultry A:s5odation of ''Similarl)', org."\Ilisations 10 the development of agri- Nigeria (PAN). 3S well as a cOIn e ndow p rofessorial culture and the sector is well prominent ked miner in Ule chairs in university-based . funded. itisca pablcofopen- muntry, said people should resea rch institutes. nlis gesing the door of employment be made to reaJise that agriture w ill ensure a regular o pportunity for thoUsands culture is a ficJd business aid now of relevilnt resea rch I'l.'of jOOk$youths intheroun- you don' t l\.lIve 10 wear wltite suits 10 these s ponsoring tty. shirt and tie before you can organi:s.llions for enhanred In his words,. " 1 .would be a sucres:s, adding that if p rodu d i,.jty a nd perfo rcontinue 10 say it with all you invest in the proCtssion. m i'lna:," he concluded emphasis thai if serious al- it is not like an ilutomobilcor
lu tid lalm tion run d in order 10 boost agricu ltural developmenl in the country. The don who staled this in tbad",\ while speaking on the loric 'Tund allocation fo r research - the need to explore al temative so~ .. ex p lained thai fWld was a major o bstacle to the achievement and perfo nnance o f m il ny r~arch instHu le:s in Ihe country, adding Ihal the glovemme nl alo ne cannol fund ag ricultW'al research, thus tiu~re was the need to ex plore o the r viable a ltemalives.. Professor O g u n bodcde said, " fu nd is a major con s traint to the <lcth'ities o f many research institutes across Ihe country. In fa ct, a m;'!jorobstade to the achievement o f our lau d abl·> objecti ves i\S a research institute is the paudty o f fun.1s fo r research a nd other infras lructural de\o-elopmenl ill recent years_There is no d ou bt th;'!t the globall."COnom·c clim ale is ;lIlythmg but bright. Conseq lle ntly, gO\'CJTlnlent had to dmstica lly reduce budget becol use of limited resources in Ihe face o f mounting commitments." "There is th" refoTe the need fo r sou rci ng fo r altc;nati ve aven ues t or funding ag ri ru llural research in a n agra rian nation like Nigeria," he s ta ted. 00 w hal co. lid be d one in order 10 increase funding fo r ll,'Searc:h activilies in thecountry, lhedon s., id w ithin the Natio nal A g ricultural Re5eardl System. a few passibi1itie:s amid Ix> e.'Cplored. Acroding to ltim, some viable
weapon to
Q :
poverty, ,nUIlger