Experts have made a case for the global transition to sustainable food systems that is decisively able to ensure primary contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) fulfillment going by the importance of the project in developing a tailored training curriculum on agroecology practices, sustainable farming techniques, and natural resources management by incorporating local knowledge and practical demonstrations to ensure the relevance and applicability of training materials for stakeholders while the importance of antimicrobial resistance in agricultural production has equally been highlighted.
The Team Leader, Agro Ecological Farming (AGRECOFARM) project, Prof. Adewale Dipeolu has revealed that the aim of AGRECOFARM is to advance the skills of academic staff, students, and agricultural extension personnel in partner countries through the development of new curricula and programmes that integrate theory and practice. Dipeolu made this disclosure while speaking at the opening ceremony of the ‘One Day Stakeholders Workshop’, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State on the development of Master’s programme in Agroecology. Dipeolu stated that the project “intends to establish ‘AGRECO Rural Labs'”, which would be equipped with basic equipment to help deliver the mandate of the MSc programme and conduct research for agroecology.
Dipeolu had earlier informed that over 3,000,000 people stand to benefit from an agricultural app that would soon be developed as part of digital technology measures to combat the effects of climate change on agriculture by farmers, especially those in remote part of the country. The Professor, who is also the team leader of the Digital Financial Solutions for Farmers in Remote Communities Project, made this known at a two-day European Union-funded workshop to discuss the findings of the group’s baseline study on the effects of climate change on agriculture in remote communities.
He said the Nigeria’s agriculture sector had been grappling with numerous challenges, exacerbated by climate change, erratic rainfall, erosion, pest and disease outbreaks, and insecurity issues, such as farmer-herder clashes and that these adversities had left farmers vulnerable, particularly those residing in remote rural areas. He said, “We did a baseline study in three states of Imo, Ogun and Kwara states. We are here now to discuss the findings of the baseline study. We went to the field to see if farmers were aware of these digital solutions to climate change. What are the challenges farmers face with climate change? If they use these digital provisions, is it affordable for them? Do they understand what they are trying to do to give them digital solutions and so on?
“After this workshop, we’ll collate all challenges we found in the field, which will guide us to develop an application that will be made available to farmers in the country, beginning with those in Imo, Ogun and Kwara states. We hope that the app will assist the farmers in their day-to-day activities. We hope that it will also help them to go into other livelihood activities and so on. That’s the essence of this particular workshop. This app will be translated into three languages: Yoruba, Igbo and Fulani/Hausa for farmers in the country to be able to use it effectively. The primary beneficiaries of this initiative encompass rural farmers, with particular emphasis on women and young involved in farming. Additionally, local authorities, telecoms providers, and officials in various Nigerian localities stand to benefit from specialised training in digital solutions, which will promote sustainable agricultural practices and offer alternative livelihoods for rural farmers, enabling them to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. The ultimate beneficiaries of this project are expected to exceed 3,000,000 individuals residing in rural communities.
“The project focuses on educating farmers about innovative agricultural practices through e-learning platforms that promote sustainable farming techniques. By equipping farmers with the knowledge to embrace new digital solutions, against the backdrop of climate change, the project seeks to address the vulnerability experienced by farmers, particularly those residing in rural communities and remote areas”, he added. In a related development, experts have described antimicrobial resistance as a situation where organisms develop resistance to drugs or medicine designed to exterminate them. The President, Antimicrobial Resistance Club, Mr. Mujeeb Akaso, said the organism can spread through human negligence and consumption of animals or farm produce that have been contaminated, adding that the organism can also spread through the abuse of antibiotics.
On his part, the President, Association of Veterinary Medical Students, Mr. Quadri Meshioye, revealed that antimicrobial organism spread through the consumption of large spectrum of antibiotics and neglect of doctor’s prescriptions. He warned the general populace to desist from the abuse of antibiotics, and stick to doctor’s prescriptions while a member of the International Veterinary Students Association, Miss. Tolulope Kayode, said AMR poses a great threat to the public and global community in general. She urged the people to use drugs, especially antibiotics responsibly, adding that farmers and food processors should allow the withdrawal period of the antibiotics they had administered to their animals to lapse before slaughtering the animals, saying with that society would be protected form health dangers while equally enhancing the food systems in production.
