University of Ibadan Partners Honeywell Group in Food Production

Food security is a state of having reliable access to sufficient quality and affordable nutritious food, but in Nigeria reverse has been the case, where most people do not has access to sufficient and nutritious food and this can be linked to shortage of food production in the country.

A healthy plan at ensuring food security in Nigeria has been concluded by the University management team and Honeywell group recently.

The Vice-Chancellor – Prof. Adewole F. I. in his remark noted that the leader of the team and Head Corporate Development, Honeywell group, Dr Teddy Ngu said Honeywell group exists in diverse areas of the Nigeria economy, including power sector, security services, airline, oil and gas, real estate and food security service.

Prof. Adewole, illustrated that the group came to University of Ibadan to explore possible collaboration in the area of fisheries and animal nutrition. He noted that UI has been a point of quality, considering the strength of its structure over the years. He added that the organization decided to venture into animal feed sector to improve animal production and UI is really positioned for this partnership because it has a farm where cereals could be tested.

Prof. Adewole also noted that food was a security matter and any country that cannot feed itself is not worth being called a country, calling on Nigerians to take food production seriously, because many developed countries today take food production very serious, not only food but also make it available year round and that some of them have stored food for over 25 years.

Prof Adewole, also explained that most of the foods stored were never consumed by the developed nations but they are given to the under developed countries in need of food, they only conduct experiment to know whether the food still retains its nutritional value. These countries do not bring out fresh foods but those that have been stored for over 25 years.

Prof. Adewole further reinforced the goal of the University at ensuring food security in the area of animal protein and feed production, saying the University is well placed to partner with Honeywell group. He also noted that, one way a university can make an impact is in food security and the University of Ibadan must deliver public goods.

If any country must succeed, it must take agriculture seriously.