FUNAAB wins 47m agric research grant #nigeria

In recognition of its efforts in agricultural
development, the West African Agricultural
Productivity Programme (WAPP-Nigeria) has
handed over a N47.5 million grant to the Federal
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) for
further agriculture-based research, production
and development in the country, especially in the
Southwest.
Also, the European Meteorological Satellite
(EUMETSAT), Darmstadt, Germany has granted
the university a disaster control and management
licence to forecast weather and disseminate
information to farming communities against the
impending disasters that could adversely affect
agricultural production and food security.
According to the information given by the West
Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme
(WAPP-Nigeria), the monetary grant was given to
the university to improve collaborative activities in
the multiplication of cassava, tuber cuttings,
maize seed and fingerlings multiplication and
brood stock production for Southwest farmers.
Speaking on WAPP-Nigeria grant and EUMETSAT
licence, John Oyedepo, project principal
investigator, disclosed that the grant and licence
given to the Institute of Food Security
Environmental Resources and Agricultural
Research (IFSERAR), an arm of FUNAAB, were
based on the university’s efforts in agricultural
production and research in order to guarantee
food security in the country.
Oyedepo said that the EUMETSAT gave the
licence, having observed a ground-receiving
station constructed at IFSERAR premises, tailored
after Famine Early Warning System built under
the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) to combat drought and famine in
Ethiopia. He added that the timely-warning
mechanism on imminent agricultural disasters
would ensure improved agricultural production
and food security in the country.
He however, declared that EUMETSAT licence,
wßhich was granted by the European
Meteorological Satellite (EUMETSAT), Darmstadt,
Germany as one of the funded proposals under
the 2012/2013 FUNAAB/TETFund Research grants
would elapse in September, 2016.
By: RAZAQ AYINLA