Last Updated on August 31, 2026 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
By Raymond Osemene
The Directorate of Research, Innovation and Partnerships (DRIP), in collaboration with the Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), today, August 28, 2026, organised a One-Day training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) to promote sustainable tomato production among farmers.
Held at the AMREC Training Hall, the programme brought together farmers and other stakeholders to enhance their knowledge and practical skills in improved tomato production techniques.
Declaring the programme open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, commended the Principal Investigator, Dr. Bosun Soetan, collaborators and members of the project team for translating research outcomes into practical interventions capable of impacting farmers and the wider community.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Prof. Olawale Dairo, the Vice-Chancellor described the DRIP-AMREC collaboration as significant, stressing that research could only achieve meaningful impact when findings were effectively disseminated and translated into practical solutions that addressed farmers’ needs. He expressed satisfaction with the practical component of the project, particularly the planned field activities and provision of improved tomato planting materials to beneficiaries.
According to him, improved tomato seeds could increase productivity and create additional income opportunities for farmers, noting that tomato production and processing offered considerable prospects for wealth creation. He described the Institution-Based Research (IBR) initiative as an important platform for supporting research and innovation at the University, while urging participants to maximise the opportunities provided by the training.
The Director, AMREC, Prof. Jacob Olaoye, said the project was initiated by the Principal Investigator, Dr. Bosun Soetan, to generate research-based knowledge capable of improving tomato production and delivering practical benefits to farmers. He explained that AMREC’s involvement was critical to ensuring that research findings and improved agricultural practices reached farmers.
Prof. Olaoye added that the Centre had mobilised farmers from different Local Government Areas and adopted villages to participate in the initiative. He disclosed that improved tomato seedlings produced from the research activities would subsequently be distributed to selected farmers, who would be expected to adopt the production methods demonstrated at the University’s experimental farm.
In his Goodwill Message, the Director, DRIP, Prof. Oluwagbemiga Adeleye, represented by the Principal Assistant Registrar in the Directorate, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Arigbede, described the training as a valuable platform for acquiring new skills and improving agricultural productivity. He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to enhance productivity and contribute to the development of their communities, noting that the initiative aligned with FUNAAB’s mandate of Teaching, Research and Community Engagement.
In his address, Dr. Soetan, emphasised the importance of validating and disseminating agricultural technologies to farmers to improve productivity and encourage the adoption of modern farming practices. He disclosed that the research team had identified and validated two key technologies considered relevant to farmers and agricultural development, stressing the need to move research outcomes beyond the laboratory to the field.
He further stated that extension activities, practical demonstrations and extension materials, including bulletins, would facilitate wider dissemination and adoption of the validated technologies. He expressed optimism that sustained collaboration among researchers, extension personnel and farmers would strengthen the adoption of improved agricultural technologies, enhance tomato production and contribute to food security.
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