Last Updated on November 20, 2025 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
By Joy Adeyiga & Bolanle Olawepo
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), in collaboration with House of Dorcas Integrated Services (HDI), Kyler Holdings, and the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), today, November 18, 2025, hosted a high-level stakeholders’ meeting and public workshop aimed at strengthening food security through international collaboration. The event featured a distinguished delegation from Brazil and brought together policymakers, researchers, industry experts, and development partners.
Representing the Ogun State Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CFR, was the Special Adviser on Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Angel Adelaja-Kuye, who described the visit of HDI and their Brazilian partners as a strong vote of confidence in Ogun State’s agricultural capacity, its farmers, and leading agricultural institutions such as FUNAAB. The Governor highlighted the State’s achievements in cotton development, recalling the successful cultivation of 4,500 hectares in 2021 in partnership with Nakatan and the Central Bank of Nigeria, an initiative in which Ogun State farmers stood out as the only group to fully repay their loans.
The Governor further announced that under the Renewed Hope Cotton Resurgence Initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ogun State was set to host a $2.5 billion cotton processing factory with a projected capacity of 1,000 tons daily. She noted that the value chain was expected to produce up to four million garments and generate an estimated 250 million direct and indirect jobs across the cotton-to-garment ecosystem.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Prof. Olawale Dairo, commended the partnership and reiterated FUNAAB’s commitment to driving agricultural innovation. He encouraged participants to engage actively in discussions geared towards developing practical, research-driven solutions for sustainable food production.
A keynote presentation was delivered by Prof. Luiz Lani of the Federal University of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, who drew parallels between agricultural challenges in Nigeria and Brazil. He emphasised the importance of cooperation between both nations and announced that his university offers tuition-free Master’s and PhD programmes in English for international students, adding that they were ready to expand academic ties with FUNAAB.
Also speaking was Dr. Ronaldo Trecenti, Agricultural Engineer and CEO of Pio Consultoria Agroambiental, BrasĂlia-DF. He stressed the relevance of sustainable agricultural practices and modern environmental management systems, sharing insights from Brazil’s advancement in precision agriculture, soil conservation, and water resource management. He expressed interest in partnering with institutions in Ogun State to replicate Brazil’s successes across Africa.
Other experts who enriched the discourse included: Prof. Victor Olowe, former Director, Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC); Prof.Akin Omotayo, former Director, IFSERAR; Prof. John Oyedepo, Deputy Director, IFSERAR.
They underscored the importance of research-driven agriculture, farmer training, robust extension systems, and effective translation of academic research into field solutions. They also commended the Nigeria–Brazil collaboration, calling for sustained engagement to drive technology transfer, policy improvements, and youth participation in agribusiness.
The workshop ended with a strong commitment from all stakeholders to deepen Nigeria–Brazil cooperation and promote food security through innovation, research, and international partnership.
