Last Updated on April 22, 2026 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
By Raymond Osemene
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), today, April 15, 2026, organised a workshop focused on advancing cattle production in Nigeria through robotic ranching systems and intelligent feeding technologies.
The workshop, sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), National Research Fund (NRF), was held at the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE) Conference Room and attracted researchers and key stakeholders within the University.
Welcoming participants, the Principal Investigator, Prof. Olufunke Vincent, noted that the workshop provided a platform to address critical challenges in Nigeria’s livestock sector. She highlighted issues such as inefficient feeding, poor livestock monitoring, labour shortages, climate variability, and rising costs, alongside conflicts arising from open grazing practices.
Prof. Vincent emphasised that emerging technologies, including robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics, were driving smart agriculture and offering sustainable solutions for improved livestock management.
Delivering a lecture titled “Robotic Ranching System: An Intelligent Feeding Mechanism for Enhanced Cattle Production in Nigeria,” Prof. Bamidele Oluwatosin noted the transformative nature of the project, saying that the growing relevance of modern livestock systems such as ranching, feedlot operations, and zero grazing, were becoming evident.
She commended FUNAAB’s commitment to research and innovation while identifying infrastructural gaps in some institutions.
Also speaking, the Director of the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), Prof. Kazeem Bello, underscored the need to adopt modern technologies, including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), to enhance livestock monitoring and reduce farmer-herder conflicts.
Participants lauded the initiative and called for increased interdisciplinary collaboration to drive innovation and ensure sustainable agricultural development.
