Last Updated on December 16, 2014 by admin
The Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), recently organised the Farmers’ Field Day as part of the programmes lined-up to appreciate former Directors of the Institute, formerly known as the Research and Development Centre (RESDEC). 
Speaking at the occasion, the Director of IFSERAR, Professor Akin Omotayo, thanked the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, for his immense support for the Institute. The Director appreciated the pioneer Director of IFSERAR, Professor Olusegun Osinowo, who was one of the awardees, for laying a solid foundation for the Institute. Professor Omotayo said that with the huge challenge of bad roads and shortage of vehicles to meet the desired transportation needs, a base farm was developed to solve this problem. This would also assist in moving IFSERAR activities closer to beneficiaries by reducing the cost of operation, help in the monitoring of experiments more closely and minimise the menace and destructive activities of Pastoralists Fulani groups, who constantly invade and destroy research farms at the Opeji Area.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oyewole, lauded IFSERAR for its contributions to the development of the University, as he expressed delight that farmers from different villages were witness to this feat. He also appreciated the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), for not only funding the programmes of the Institute but also providing vehicles to ease transportation problems. The Vice-Chancellor commended the Physical Planning Unit for clearly mapping-out the correct boundary for the University’s land that was formerly encroached on but had been reclaimed. He added that a replica of the Songhai Model Farm in Benin Republic had been initiated, in order to expand the scope of Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS) in the University. Professor Oyewole used the medium to express his deep appreciation for the award conferred on him as a former Director of RESDEC. The Vice-Chancellor also launched the new IFSERAR Bulletin, which would be circulated on a monthly basis. 
Past Directors that received awards are: Professor Gabriel Obigbesan (Pioneer Director of RESDEC), Prof. Francis Bamiro, late Prof. Matthew Fawusi, Prof. Victor Olowe, Prof. Segun Lagoke, Prof. Ishola Adamson and Prof. Isaac Ayelaagbe. Other activities for the day include a lecture titled; “Health Talk on Ebola Virus Disease” by Dr. Abiodun Amusan; Commissioning of Early Warning System Equipment for Weather Forecast by Professor Felix Salako (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development); and Farm Walk, in which farmers from villages such as Oowe, Faami, Ojoo and Kango were taken round on demonstration and experimental plots, where various crops were planted for weeds management through effective modern farming techniques. There was also the crossbreeding of the Kalahari Red Goat with the West Africa Dwarf, to improve their productivity as well as the raising of different species of fish fingerlings in a bid to increase protein intake by the people and to boost the country’s economy. 
