OORBDA Partners with FUNAAB on Food Security, Irrigation _... As MD Commends Pro-Chancellor’s Visionary Leadership_

 

Abeokuta, January 22, 2025  

The Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) has announced a strategic collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), to address food security challenges through enhanced irrigation systems.  

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of FUNAAB's Governing Council, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi (JP, FCIPM, FNIM, MNIPR, FAFUED, FOSCOTECH, Odundun IV, Asoludero), Aragbiji of Iragbijiland, led a high-level delegation to O-ORBDA’s headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.  

The delegation included FUNAAB's Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, members of the Governing Council, and senior management staff.  

Welcoming the delegation, OORBDA's Managing Director, Engr. Adedeji Ashiru, highlighted the Agency's mandate under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to develop and manage water resources. He emphasised its role in providing water for domestic, industrial, agricultural, and environmental purposes, including flood control, to enhance socio-economic development.  

In his remarks, Oba Olabomi expressed gratitude to the OORBDA team and underscored the importance of a strong partnership between the University and the agency. “This collaboration marks a new era for FUNAAB as we strive to position the University as a leading contributor to Nigeria’s food basket,” he said.  

The Pro-Chancellor outlined the University's commitment to leveraging national soil and water resources for sustainable food production. He emphasised the need to promote efficient and equitable water use through a river basin approach, as well as integrate technical and social research to develop cost-effective, farmer-focused irrigation technologies. 

The Pro-Chancellor clamoured for increased investment in water infrastructure to support large-scale agricultural development.

Food security remains a pressing challenge in Nigeria, particularly with our dependence on rain-fed agriculture. Effective water management is critical to boosting productivity and mitigating the impacts of climate change,” Oba Olabomi noted.  

He further added, “This initiative will also provide opportunities for our graduates who wish to venture into farming, making it their primary occupation.”  

Corroborating the Pro-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, highlighted FUNAAB’s global recognition, including its recent ranking as the Best University of Agriculture in Africa and the 7th Best worldwide by Times Higher Education in January 2024. He noted the University’s vast potential in advancing food security, citing its 10,200-hectare land and a 7-Billion-Litre Dam commissioned in 2022. “These resources, coupled with the right infrastructure, can transform agricultural production and youth engagement in farming,” Prof. Kehinde added.

He also stressed the University’s immediate needs, such as tractors, irrigation systems, and bulldozers, to support large-scale farming. “Empowering our graduates to actively engage in agricultur  not only addresses youth unemployment but also aligns with Nigeria’s food security agenda,” he stated. The Vice-Chancellor proposed collaborative projects with OORBDA to enhance farming activities and community engagement, including the development of roads and irrigation systems.

Earlier, Engr. Ashiru commended the Pro-Chancellor’s vision and pledged OORBDA’s support for the initiative. He described Oba Olabomi as a leader of exceptional depth and pedigree, adding that the collaboration would mark the beginning of a transformative synergy between the two institutions.  

The Pro-Chancellor urged O-ORBDA to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), emphasising the need for enhanced irrigation systems to bolster agricultural output within the University and beyond.  

This partnership aims to tackle Nigeria’s food security challenges by leveraging innovative water resource management strategies to ensure a sustainable agricultural future.

Akinmodiro Sunday Joshua

Press Secretary to Aragbiji of Iragbijiland.

January 22nd, 2025