The recently concluded Second Africa-Israel Forum on Agriculture and Technology for Development in conjunction with Tel Aviv University, Israel and The Brenthurst Foundation, held at the expansive Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta in the South Western part of Nigeria has recorded immense gains for the University.

According to the release from the of the PRO of the institution, the heenefits from the possible areas of collaboration included amongst others: Knowledge Transfer, Postdoctoral Programme, Establishment of a Joint Research and Development Centre. Others are FUNAAB serving as Innovation Hubs; Summer Programme for PG Students as well as Exchange Programme or Collaborative Supervision otherwise known as ‘Split-Site Study’.

FUNAAB Team was led by the Dean, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT), Professor Olaoye Atayese; Director, Centre of Excellence in Agriculture Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE), Professor Olukayode Akinyemi; Deputy Dean, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM), Dr. Olajide Sogunle; Deputy Director, FUNAAB Consult, Dr. Mutiu Busari and Dr. Safiyu Kamorudeen, while the Tel Aviv University Team was led by the Head, Manna Centre Programme for Food Safety & Security, School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Professor Nir Ohad; Head, Gilat Research Centre, Soil and Water Department, Dr. Uri Yermiyahu and Professor Ram Fishman.

At the 2-Day event, former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who insisted at the Plenary Session that the nation’s challenges stemmed out of the inability of government agencies to implement government policies, adding that policy Inconsistency and lack of continuity were part of the bane of agric business in Nigeria. “According to him, Nigeria’s problem was not lack of policy but non implementation of policy as well as inconsistency and lack of continuity”, he stressed.

Participants included: Vice-President of Malawi, His Excellency, Saulos Chilima; Minister of Finance, Lesotho, Hon. Dr. Moeketsi Majoro; Minister of Agriculture Development, Somaliland, Hon. Ahmed Seed; Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Ghana, Hon. Dr. Sagre Bambangi; Permanent Secretary, Agriculure, Lagos State, Hon. Dr. Olayiwola Onasanya and Hon. Erastus Mwencha from Kenya.

Others were the Director, Brenthurst Foundation, Dr. Greg Mills; Dr. Jennifer Blanke from Cote d’Ivoire; Ms Oby Ezekwesili of the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative; Ms Nekesa Were from Kenya as well as several other participants in and out of Africa.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Dr. (Mrs.) Aminat Adenekan and Dr. Oluwafemi Enilolobo of the Bells University, Ota.

Story: Deji Abdul Basit and Ganiu Kosoko. Online Editor: Olamide Yinusa: Publisher/CEO: Henry Femi Ojoye Jr.