BIENNIAL CONFERENCE: SCHOLARS GIVE CONDITIONS FOR ECONOMIC STABILITY

Scholars at the 2nd Biennial conference held at the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora have given conditions for economic stability during pandemic in Nigeria.

The Chairman of the day, Prof. Lateef Sanni who is the Governing Council Chairman for Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora in his remarks called on all farmers and actors to take agriculture as a business for economic emancipation.

According to Professor Sanni, “with the modern technology that we have today and for us to be able to experience economic growth, there is the need for private investors to collaborate with government on Private Public Partnership.

“There is also the need to improve our capacity as individuals and groups to be able to leverage into the modern economy,” he said.

Speaking on the theme for the conference, titled, “a Synergy between Agricultural Production, Technological Innovation and Management Efficiency: Panacea to Economic Stability during pandemic,” Professor Adeniyi Olayanju, the Vice-Chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran said the agricultural sector which is divided into four sub-sectors of crop production, forestry, livestock and Fisheries or aquaculture is key to national food security.

Olayanju noted that in 2016, the agricultural sector contributed about 21.22% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the corresponding figure for industry was 14.2%, construction 3.6%, trade 20.4%, Services 40.1. This shows that agriculture continues to be important and essential to the revitalization, growth, transformation and growth of the Nigerian Economy which is not doing well presently.
He opined that the performance of the agricultural sector shows that the different strategies, policies and programmes put in place by government to promote investment, diversify and grow the economy have not produced the desired result.

Prof. Olayanju posited that, “the current decline in food and agro-industry raw materials production in Nigeria has resulted in hunger, poverty and reduction in gross domestic products (GDP).

“For efficient growth and development of agricultural sector, there is a need to familiarize with new technologies, like biotechnology, nanotechnology, high-tech protected cultivation and modern irrigation methods to accelerate production, while it is imperative to shift from mere invention to innovation to engender national development.”

Other conditions listed by Prof. Olayanju to boost agriculture and development include; provision of high yield crops, adoption of genetically modified crops, reformation of land ownership with productivity and inclusiveness in mind, boosting of irrigation for all-year round cropping.

Others include; boosting of rural infrastructure, market access, regulations, integration into agricultural value chain and mainstreaming climate smart initiatives into agricultural practice, increasing investment in technology to help small scale farmers.

Olayanju also suggests the following action plans; Youth centered and Agri-business farming Paradigm, extension and advisory services, agricultural inputs, agricultural knowledge, provision of credits and investment and holistic agricultural development among others.

He called on government to fund innovative research, while he maintained that innovative researches should not just be concluded and left in laboratories to rot away.
In his presentation, the lead paper presenter, Prof. Ayoola Akinwole who spoke on aquaculture and fisheries management for economic stability during pandemic called on government to provide enabling business environment, regulation of financial institutions, trade and investment and tax policies coupled with complementary policy and institutional reforms and interventions to help commercialize smallholder fish farmers.
Prof. Akinwole also called for the development of local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Earlier, the acting rector in his welcome address explained that the theme for the conference was carefully chosen as the institutions’ response to the global health challenges posed by Covid-19 which has over riding effects on economy, education, politics, agriculture, commerce, aviation industry, food security, science and technology.
The Local Organizing Chairman, Dr. Olubunmi Adeosun in her remarks, hinted that the Food and Agriculture Organizations reported that agriculture is a branch of the economy of Nigeria and it provides employment opportunity for about 35% of the population as of 2020.

According to her,” the outbreak of Covid-19 in the year 2020 affected our economy, as there was a reduction in agricultural production activities as a result of the stay at home order to curb the spread of the disease.”

The Special Guest of Honour and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the First Technical University, Ibadan, Prof. Adesola Ajayi while declaring the conference open, called for more research that would assist the nation, in its quest for national development.

The Director, OYSCATECH Global Consult, Mrs. Okoro-Robinson Mary expressed appreciation to the Local organizing committee and scholars who participated in the biennial conference.

The Conference was well attended by the Management Team for Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora and Scholars from far and near.