 |
L-R: Vice-Chancellor, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof A. B. Okesina;
Dr Sanginga; and Chairman, Governing Council, UNIOSUN,
Prof Gabriel Olawoyin,during the 2013 Distinguished Annual Lecture
at the College of Agriculture, Osun State University |
For Africa to witness a
“Green Revolution,” the continent must sustainably intensify its agricultural
production system, use organic and inorganic inputs, and also pay attention to
the youth by engaging them in every sector of agriculture.
Delivering a lecture on ‘Agronomy
or Brown Revolution needed in sub-Saharan Africa? Engagement of the Youth in
Science-driven Agribusiness’, Director General Nteranya Sanginga said, “Africa
needs to avoid opening up new lands and clearing forests to increase yields
which have negative consequences on the environment and lead to a loss of
biodiversity.
To sustain agricultural
intensification, Africa must increase food production from existing farmland
while minimizing pressure on the environment. This would address the challenges
of increasing demand for food from a growing global population in a world where
land, water, energy, and other inputs are in short supply, overexploited, and
used unsustainably.
He advocated a radical shift from
the current agricultural system that is characterized by low inputs and poor
scientific knowledge.
Dr Sanginga said that if Africa had
been efficiently using inputs including both organic and inorganic—herbicides
and fertilizers— the continent would have benefited from the genetic gain
recorded by researchers over the years through breeding programs.
“For example, if you take cassava,
we have had genetic gains through breeding but instead of getting 50 t/ha we
are getting 15 t/ha on most farmers’ fields. If we were applying fertilizers,
we would have recorded higher yields…and this is the situation not only with
cassava but with several other crops,” he explained at the 2013 Distinguished
Annual Lecture organized by the College of Agriculture, Osun State University.
Dr Sanginga reiterated that no
continent on earth had ever developed its agriculture without the use of inputs
such as fertilizers and stressed that Africa should never be denied the
opportunity to use inputs.
“If you look at the agricultural
revolution in Asia or even in Europe, inputs were used to transform
agriculture…I believe that Africa should take the same path,” he noted.
Tied to natural resource
management, Dr Sanginga also underscored the need to engage the youth in
agriculture and presented the IITA Youth Project as a model that Africa could
adopt.
The IITA Youth Project engages
young people from different disciplines, trains and equips them with the
hands-on skills and knowledge that empowers and encourages them to go into
agriculture.
Dr Sanginga said getting the youth
on board was critical for the sustainability of agricultural reforms, citing
current statistics that indicate that most agricultural researchers and even
farmers are old.
The DG said that the Institute
would continue to partner with other institutions and deliver those innovations
that would improve the productivity and livelihoods of farmers. “Central to the
activities of IITA is capacity building,” he added.
 |
Dr Sanginga (centre, in blue tie), with the IITA contingent and hosts
from the Osun State University |
Prof. G.A. Olawoyin, the Chairman
of the Governing Council of the university, noted the need for a “Brown
Revolution” in Africa, and agreed that the engagement of the youth in
agribusiness is relevant to the situation of Nigeria and Africa in general.
He described the lecture as a
catalyst to solving the menace of youth unemployment and food insecurity.
Dr Sanginga was accompanied by Dr
Gbassey Tarawali, Godwin Atser, and members of the IITA Youth Project.
.gif)
.JPG)
