Degree: B.Agric., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Email Address: oluashaolu2000@gmail.com, ashaoluof@funaab.edu.ng
Telephone Number: +234-8034306676
Department: Agric. Economics & Farm Management
Academic Rank: Professor
Research Interest: Resource Economics, Development and Policy
Professor Olumuyiwa Fowowe Ashaolu (a Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics), was born
on the 20th of December, 1960 at Ilesha, Osun State, Nigeria. He attended Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha,
Osun State, Nigeria, between 1972 and 1976 for his secondary education and between 1978 and 1980 in
the same school, for his Higher School Certificate/GCE ‘A’ Level where he got the overall best student
prize in Biology in 1979. After his Higher School Certificate education, he worked briefly with the National
Bank of Nigeria, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Ile-Ife campus branch between 1980
and 1981. He then proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, for his Bachelor of
Agriculture Degree (Hons.) in Agricultural Economics in 1981, and graduated with Second Class Upper
Division in 1985; he did his Master of Science (M.Sc.) Degree programme (Agricultural Economics) from
1987 to 1989 and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degree programme (Agricultural Economics) from 1997 to
2002, in the same Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Professor Olumuyiwa Ashaolu got the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Postgraduate Fellowship
Awards in 1987, which was a scholarship to pursue his Master of Science Degree programme from 1987
to 1989. He was employed into the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abuja, Nigeria,
as a Planning Officer I in 1990 and rose to the position of a Principal Administrative Officer in 1999 before
joining the services of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, as Lecturer II in the
Department of Agricultural Economics & Farm Management, in November 2003. He rose progressively to
become a Professor in October, 2017.
As a former staff of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for about fourteen years, and
as an Agricultural Economist, Professor Ashaolu had the opportunity of interacting with the small-scale
farmers who earn their living from small farm units. Most of these farmers were seen as operating in a
farm-family agricultural system which uses what it produces and produces only what it uses. In other
words, the farmers only think of their farming operations largely in terms of providing for family needs
through their own production. Even though the country was, and still is, endowed with abundant natural
resources and substantial agricultural potential, many small-scale farmers do not take on profitable
investments in agriculture.
Immediately he was employed as a University academic and researcher, all these and other issues facing
farmers, enhanced his passion for research and further helped to define his area of research interest. The
primary focus of some of his research initiatives was directed at understanding the resource productivity,
income and resource-use efficiency in agricultural production and processing. Most of his impactful
research studies are targeted at increasing the income of farmers, thereby reducing hunger and poverty,
and improving the sustainability of rural livelihoods in the face of increasing social, economic and physical
shocks and stresses. Against this background, his academic specialty and interests through theories and
empirical research would help in meeting the various challenges facing the small-scale farmers, and with
the believe that the agrarian transformation can begin with them by examining how agricultural and
natural resources can be allocated under alternative economic situations.
Outcomes of his research studies so far have been communicated in seventy-eight (78) publications,
including fifty-three (53) journal articles (international and local), three (3) articles in book, twenty-one
(21) in refereed conference proceedings, and one (1) technical report.
Professor Ashaolu teaches many courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels especially in the
areas of Resource Management & Economics, Agricultural Production Economics, Farm Management and
Accounting, Agricultural Marketing & Cooperatives, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Development
and Policy Analysis, Project Appraisal & Evaluation, to mention a few. He has successfully supervised over
200 research students, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Professor Ashaolu is a member of professional associations including the Nigerian Association of
Agricultural Economics (NAAE), Agricultural Society of Nigeria, Farm Management Association of Nigeria
(FAMAN), and, Nigerian Society of Economists. He has attended several trainings, induction courses and
workshops since he joined the University. As regards special assignments/community service in the
University, Professor Ashaolu has served diligently in several committees within the University such as
AE&FM Department Sub-Committee on Postgraduate Matters (January 2006 to 2013), Secretary,
Consortium for Agricultural, Rural and Environmental Management (CAREM) in the Department of
AE&FM, Research Grant & Administration Committee – REGAC (2008 to 2013), Tractor Committee (2013
to 2014), Committee on Aged Care Programmes for Rural Farmers (ACP-RF) 2010, Environmental
Management Committee (EMC), 2013 to 2015, Land and Mineral Resources Use Review Committee
(LMRURC), 2013 to 2016, Representative of COLAMRUD at College of Management Sciences (COLMAS)
College Board, May 2015, Postgraduate School Representative for Masters and PhD Degrees Dissertation
& Thesis Oral Defense, respectively, in Agricultural Economics & Farm Management (2015 to date). Others
include Students Disciplinary Committee, 2016/2017 Academic Session, Representative of COLAMRUD in
Academic Planning Committee for 2017-2018 academic session, LOC Chairman, Transportation and
Logistics Committee in the 2017 Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Agricultural
Economists (NAAE) and 2019 Farm Management Association of Nigeria, (FAMAN) Conference.
He is also the Coordinator, Environmental and Resource Economics (EREC) Unit, Department of AE&FM,
FUNAAB, April, 2019 to date; member, Board of Studies, COLAMRUD, FUNAAB, October 2017 to date;
member of Senate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, October 2017
to date; Staff Adviser to 100Level to 500Level Students of the Department of AEFM, 2004 to date;
Undergraduate Coordinator (2003 to 2007); Postgraduate Coordinator, including MBA programme (2003
to 2007); Undergraduate Coordinator (500L & FNG), Department of AE&FM (Aug 25, 2008 to July 31,
2009); Undergraduate Seminar Coordinator, Department of AE&FM (2007 and 2009 to date); and
Postgraduate Coordinator (MBA), Department of AE&FM (Oct. 2009 to date); External Examiner for
Postgraduate Students’ Oral Examinations in other Universities, 2014 to date; Osun State Consultant on
Fadama III Performance Evaluation Study, May-June 2019; Reviewer to some Journals such as Journal of
Applied Agricultural Research of Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Ife Journal of Agriculture
of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, ASSET Journal, Series C. (now Journal of Humanities,
Social Sciences and Creative Arts – JHSSCA) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria;
Journal of Human Ecology, South City, India; and International Journal of Social Economics, United
Kingdom.
Professor Olumuyiwa Ashaolu was a recipient of research grants from the Research and Development
Center (RESDEC) now Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research
(IFSERAR), FUNAAB, for conducting a study on “Production Elasticity and Returns-to-Scale on Ofada Rice
Farms in Ogun State, Nigeria”. 2006. He was also a co-researcher in the diagnostic survey of farming
activities in Lagos State, organized by RESDEC (now IFSERAR), FUNAAB, 2009; Co-Researcher, Agricultural
Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) Project – Competitive Agricultural Research Scheme (CARGS). A study
on “Economic Evaluation and Impact Assessment of Food Crops Production, Processing and Storage
Technologies in Nigeria”, 2011 to date.
Professor Ashaolu’s diligent and selfless service to the University earned him two University
commendations. He received Commendation letter from the Head of Department, AE&FM, FUNAAB (23rd
July, 2008) and Letter of Appreciation from the Vice-Chancellor, FUNAAB, on 13th June, 2019 for his
excellent performance in ensuring clearance of results backlog in AE&FM Department, and also for the
commitment and dynamism exhibited as the Coordinator of Master of Business Administration
(Agribusiness) Programme in the University for over fifteen years and ensuring that the Department and
University had full NUC accreditation for the programme for 2006, 2014 and 2018.
- Institutions Attended
- Membership of Professional Bodies
- Awards Received
Courses Taught - Research Conducted
- Publications
- Conferences Attended
Last Updated on September 25, 2020 by FUNAAB
