Introduction

Established on January 01, 1988, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta has the tripodal mandate of Teaching, Research and Extension.  It will be recalled that of the Eight objectives of the University, seven (88%) are research related. It is through research that knowledge for teaching and data for extension are generated. In April 1990, barely two years after take-off, FUNAAB established the Research and Development Centre (RESDEC) which evolved into the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR) on December 03, 2009.

MANDATE

1. To conduct research related to Food Security, Environmental and Natural Resources, and Agricultural Production;
2. To develop prototypes of improved agricultural implements and machinery to enhance productivity and reduce drudgery;
3. To build capacity in agricultural research of public and private sector organizations and Institutes;
4. To foster collaboration between the Institute, Donor Agencies, National Agricultural Centres and Agricultural  Research Networks; and
5. To foster agricultural information exchange and dissemination through agricultural research seminars, workshop, conferences, and publication.

MISSION

The Mission of IFSERAR include:

1. To act as change-agent for the transformation of Nigerian Agriculture through scientific research and the development of improved agricultural technologies;
2. To fast-track improvements in rural livelihoods; and
3. To contribute significantly towards the actualizations of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Vision 20:20:20  and attainment of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by the year 2015.

VISION

The Vision of the IFSERAR is “To be the foremost Research Institute working towards the sustainable attainment of food security in Nigeria”.

RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

IFSERAR operates through eight (8) research programmes which are at same status with academic Departments in the various Colleges viz:

1. Agricultural Mechanization and Energy Research Programme (AMERP);
2. Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Programme (AFRP);
3. Biosciences Research Programme (NSRP);
4. Crop Production Research Programme (CRP);
5. Environmental Resources and Conservation Research Programme (ERCRP);
6. Food and Nutrition Research Programme (FNRP);
7. Food Security and Scio-Economic Research Programme (FSSRP); and
8. Livestock Production Research Programme (LPRP).

FUNDING

INTERNAL BUDGETARY PROVISION

The Institute gets its funding from the University Management through grants and recurrent budgetary provisions. The funding has not been sufficient to manage a research Institute. Although, the Institute was planned to be autonomous through direct funding by the Federal Government like other Institutes such as Institute of Agricultural Research Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, National Animal Production Research Institute  (NAPRI), Zaria and many others in the country, it has yet to be upgraded to that status.  It is hoped that time is ripe for this desired vision of the University towards sustainable food security, environmental resources conservation and agricultural research.  Indeed, IFSERAR is incredibly unique and the only such Institute in Nigeria and West Africa.

EXTERNAL GRANTS

Since inception, the Institute has won several competitive research projects.  Presently, there are two ongoing TETFUND sponsored projects on indigenous Muturu cattle and climate change information system. More projects have been competed for, internally and externally, and under processing for possible awards.