By Emeka Oluka & Femi Dansu
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), is actively advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its commitment to teaching, research, stewardship, and outreach.
At a recent Team Leaders’ sensitisation meeting, the University’s Resource Person on SDGs, Prof. Adeniyi Olayanju, emphasised the University’s intentional, accountable, and passionate approach to achieving the UN’s sustainable development objectives.
Prof. Olayanju expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, for the opportunity to contribute to FUNAAB’s global prominence in sustainable development.
In his presentation, titled “FUNAAB: Driving the United Nations’ SDGs through Teaching, Research, Stewardship, and Outreach,” Prof. Olayanju underscored the imperative of sustainable development, emphasising the need to meet current needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
According to him, achieving sustainable development requires collaboration across goals and among various sectors, including institutions, governments, companies, NGOs, and individuals.
Commending the University’s mandate and its impact on the local community, Prof. Olayanju who was a former Vice-Chancellor of Landmark University, praised the administration and founding fathers of FUNAAB for their tenacity in community development.
He, therefore, called for stakeholders’ commitment, diligence in resource management, and the pursuit of demand-driven research aimed at addressing societal challenges, particularly in ending hunger.
During the meeting, the Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovations, and Partnerships (DRIP), Prof. Mutiu Busari encouraged the University community to actively engage with three of the 17 SDGs.
He urged the SDGs Team Leaders and Secretaries to focus on their specific goals and stay updated on University activities, emphasising the importance of this for submitting reports to global university ranking bodies.
The meeting concluded with an interactive session discussing various University policies and their potential impact on the community.
The FUNAAB-SDGs Times Higher Education Impact Ranking Team, led by Prof. Adeniyi Olayanju, included key coordinators such as Prof. Mutiu Busari and Deputy Registrar (VCO) Mr. Moses Ayanda, along with representatives from the Information & Communication Technology Resource Centre (ICTREC) and the Directorate of Public Relations of the University.
The SDGs Team Leads and Secretaries were also introduced, each responsible for a specific goal, ranging from “No Poverty” to “Partnerships for the Goals,” demonstrating FUNAAB’s comprehensive commitment to contributing to the UN’s SDGs.
