Canadian government has awarded $4.45 million to Osun State
University, Osogbo, to boost indigenous vegetable production and
utilisation technology in Nigeria, The grant was released by
International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to the international
research consortium led by Professor Clement Adebooye of the
Agronomy/Crop Physiology of the Osun State University.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, the acting Vice Chancellor,
Professor Oguntola Jelil Alamu, declared that the project will be
implemented in the six states of the South-West, Kwara and Benin
Republic.
He noted that the project would help in boosting provision of food for
school children in the state.
“It is heart-warming to report that this project will support the
school feeding programme of the state of Osun through the formation of
Young Vegetable Scientists Clubs (YVSC) in selected secondary
schools,” he said.
He stressed that the university would not relent in its contribution
to the development of the state through research, adding that “under
this project, full funding is made available for the training of three
MSc/PhD candidates, attendance of about 25 international conferences
and purchase of high profile scientific equipment.”
The VC also noted that the Professor Adebooye-led team from 2011-2014
benefited $3.0 million from IDRC where over 1,400 farmers increased
their yields and doubled their incomes by using improved farming
practices to grow under-utilised indigenous vegetables at 22 locations
in Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti states.
He stated that the research team has doubled efforts to bring the
practices to 50,000 farmers through demonstration trials, outreach
efforts, support and training for seed producers and marketers.
http://dailytrust.com.ng/
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