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| L-R Prof Akinyemi Olayinka (Obafemi Awolowo University), Prof Ayo Ogunkunle (University of Ibadan) Dr Ayo Adegbite ( Deputy Director, IAR&T),Prof James Adediran (Director, IAR&T)and Prof Akin Oluwatosin (Head, South West, Farming System Research and Extension) at the programme marking 2015 International Year of Soils held at Training hall, IAR&T Moor Plantation, Ibadan |
The Nigerian team of Integrated Land and Water Management
for Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change (ILWAC) championed by
IAR&T has provided scientific equipments that farmers can use for the
management of soil against vagaries of climate change.
Speaking at the ILWAC midterm review recently held, the
Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training
(IAR&T), Ibadan Prof. James Adediran said the Nigeria team has recorded a
lot of research progress through construction of check dams and water pans for
the purposes of mitigating the climate change challenges on soil management for
food production in the country.
Adediran said “since the inception of the project in 2013
the team had made a lot of progress which include establishment of sustainable
partnership for innovations in soil and water management. Appropriate tools for
soil resource mapping were developed and promoted while technologies for
soil-water-nutrient management were identified and promoted”
He noted that his Institute’s achievement on this ILWAC
project has been made possible through a grant funded by CORAL/West and Central
African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) adding that
the research technologies are aimed to improve agricultural resilience to
climatic variability through deployment of modern soil and water management
equipments.
IAR&T, Nigeria
alongside Burkina-Faso and Cote d’ Ivoire in West Africa were the countries
given a grant to conduct research on ‘Sustainable Soil-water nutrient management”
to checkmate the vagaries of climatic change to agricultural crops and animals
productions.
However, ILWAC Regional Coordinator, Dr Vincent
Aduramigba-Modupe has said that no fewer than 10,000 farmers including women
have benefit from this project as they have been with inputs, climate SMART
soil and water conservation measures.
He said part of the objective is to provide farmers,
especially vegetable farmers with water to use during the dry season.
“The project is on-going in Nigeria, Borkina-faso and Cote
d’Ivoire. We plan to upscale the project to more countries in West and Central
Africa. We also plan for production of 5000 training manuals, policy briefs and
farmers guide; we have more plans but have challenge of restricted use of funds
by donor, World Bank and WECARD,” He said.
Prof Bamidele
Omitoyin , head of fishery and aquaculture department of University of
Ibadan commended the donor and the stakeholders in the project for improving
farmers livelihood through the ILWAC project.
In the same vein the IAT&T has also trainedThe Institute
of Agricultural Research And Training, Moor Plantation Ibadan as part of the
activities marking the 2015 international Year of Soil (IYS) organized seminar
with the theme “Healthy soil for healthy life”.
According
to James Adediran, the Institute Director ,two of the specific objectives of
the international year of soils are to raise awareness among civil society and
decision maker about the profound importance of soil for human life and educate
the public about the crucial role soil plays in food security, climate change
adaptation and mitigation, essential ecosystem services, poverty alleviation
and sustainable development .It is towards the realization of these noble
objectives that the FAO in partnership with the international union of soil
science and the soil science society of Nigeria have decided to bring together
selected youths and distinguished soil scientists .
Prof James Adediran admonished all participants who were
majorly students of tertiary institutions from southwest, Nigeria to rekindle
interest in agriculture and soil sciences stressed that is the only way to
attain food security is by proper soil management youth involvement.
The seminar was
jointly organized by international Union of Soil Science, Food and Agriculture
Organization, Soil Science Society of Nigeria, and the host Institute.
