The Ogun State Scout Council celebrated this year’s World Food Day in the University. The Commissioner, Prince Kola Adewale described the body as one of the largest youth development organisation in the world, stressing that the mission of the movement is to contribute to the education of young people through a large system, based on scout promise and law to help build a better world by playing constructive role in the society.
He said one of the strategic ways through which the movement was impacting on the community is the celebration of the World Food Day while restating its determination to creating awareness on the need for food production, establish scout group in colleges, universities, promote discipline and moral values among youths. He added that youth farms were established in all local governments to encourage youth participation in agriculture. Prince Adewale used the occasion to express his appreciation to the University for supporting the movement while advising participants to be focused on the action points necessary to enable them to contribute their quotas to national development.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Felix Salako, represented by the Dean, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT), Prof. Mufutau Atayese, said the World Food Day is celebrated yearly to create awareness on the need to tackle hunger in the society and to pay attention to food production. The Vice-Chancellor emphasised that food should be made accessible in the right quality and quantity, saying “I am very happy that this consciousness is being championed. We also want to thank the Scout Council of Nigeria for bringing this to the University where food is paramount. I am also happy that our young ones are the focal point of this activity”
Delivering his lecture on “Our Actions Are Our Future, Healthy Diet for Zero Hunger In the World: Steps for Improving Nutrition and Crop Production in Nigeria”, the Guest Lecturer and Dean, College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC), Prof. Michael Idowu, noted that the World Food Day was set aside by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for the promotion and development of food and agriculture. Prof. Idowu decried the increasing prevalence of malnutrition in the world, stressing that about 800 million people suffer from chronic hunger, about two billion overweight or obese, and two billion people have micronutrient deficiencies, commonly referred to as hidden hunger.
He called on the government to take urgent and drastic measures toward eradicating hunger and malnutrition for a sustainable healthy diet in Nigeria. Highpoint of the event was a presentation by pupils of FUNAAB Staff School and the conferment of award on the Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Chryss Onwuka of the Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM); and the guest speaker; in recognition of their contributions to agriculture and food production while the guest lecturer was also inducted into the Ogun State Scout Council, as pupils from FUNAAB International School also graced the event.
