Last Updated on October 23, 2026 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Raymond Osemene
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has once again demonstrated its leadership in agricultural innovation by hosting Nigeria’s first National Symposium on Greenhouse Cultivation, advancing calls for wider adoption of controlled-environment agriculture to strengthen food and nutritional security, enhance climate resilience and unlock agribusiness opportunities.
The Opening Ceremony of the Three-Day symposium, which commenced today, October 21, 2026, at the University’s Red Chamber, was declared open by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, under the theme, “Greenhouse Cultivation for Enhanced Food and Nutritional Security in Nigeria.” The event featured researchers, industry practitioners, government agencies and other stakeholders to explore innovative solutions for sustainable agricultural production.
In his Opening Remarks, Prof. Kehinde described the symposium as a strategic platform for knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of innovative approaches to addressing Nigeria’s agricultural challenges. He explained that greenhouse cultivation allows farmers to regulate temperature, humidity, light, water and ventilation, thereby improving productivity, enabling year-round production and reducing crop exposure to adverse weather, pests and diseases.
The Vice-Chancellor identified tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and strawberries as crops suited to greenhouse production, noting that complementary technologies such as drip irrigation and hydroponics could improve water-use efficiency and crop yields. Although he acknowledged the high establishment and maintenance costs, technical demands and need for continuous monitoring, he described greenhouse cultivation as a worthwhile investment amid climate change and rising food demand.
Prof. Kehinde disclosed that FUNAAB had incorporated greenhouse use and management into its postgraduate curriculum since 2015, with plans to introduce the course at the undergraduate level through opportunities provided by the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS). He said the initiative would develop skilled local professionals to advance greenhouse technology and address Nigeria’s vegetable production shortfall, urging governments, agricultural institutions and young farmers to embrace innovative farming systems.
Delivering the Keynote Address, titled “Greenhouse Cultivation: The Big Picture for Food Security, Climate Resilience and Agribusiness Growth in Nigeria,” the Team Lead of BIC Farms Concepts Nigeria and Canada, Mr. Adebowale Onafowora, described controlled-environment agriculture as a strategic response to climate change, fluctuating food prices, pest infestations and the limitations of conventional open-field farming.
Mr. Onafowora projected that greenhouse cultivation could unlock an estimated ₦600 billion opportunity for Nigeria through the development of more than 100,000 commercial growers nationwide. However, he stressed that realising this potential would require affordable financing, technical expertise, sustained research support and effective market linkages, identifying high commercial lending rates and inadequate risk-sharing mechanisms as major barriers to investment.
An Ashoka Fellow and global controlled-environment agriculture expert, Mr. Onafowora emphasised that greenhouse cultivation should be viewed not merely as the construction of protected structures, but as an integrated production system capable of advancing food security, commercial farming and sustainable agribusiness. He identified naturally ventilated structures, tunnel greenhouses, multi-span facilities and hydroponics as technologies that could improve crop quality and support year-round production.
He cautioned that greenhouse designs must reflect local climatic conditions, particularly in tropical environments where excessive heat and humidity require appropriate structures and effective environmental management. Mr. Onafowora, who pioneered hydroponics in Nigeria, called for a coordinated agricultural ecosystem capable of supporting thousands of commercially viable growers, expressing confidence in FUNAAB’s capacity to lead greenhouse cultivation development across Africa.
Earlier, the symposium convener, Prof. Isaac Aiyelaagbe, said the programme was designed to promote stakeholder participation and strengthen public-private sector collaboration. He explained that the opening day focused on private-sector engagement, while the second day would combine industry participation with academic discussions to foster partnerships and facilitate knowledge exchange. Participants were also scheduled to visit selected greenhouse facilities for practical exposure to different cultivation systems.
Prof. Aiyelaagbe expressed appreciation to the sponsors and supporting organisations, including CitiVegies, Amazon Farms Organic, MIPAT Modern Integrated Farms and Food Processing Ltd, Keselash AGRICOM, BIC Concepts, CANDEL, RIJK ZWAAN, East West Seeds, Jubaili Agrotec, Organic Foliar Fertilizers, Clean Farms Projects, Kaspharyn Solutions Limited, the Horticultural Academy for Youths (HAY) and the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), among others.
By hosting Nigeria’s first national symposium dedicated to greenhouse cultivation, FUNAAB is strengthening the role of universities in agricultural research, technology transfer and industry collaboration.
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