Last Updated on December 25, 2025 by Olasunkanmi Olajide

By Femi Dansu

The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, today, December 22, 2025, charged newly employed Research Fellows of the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR) to uphold the highest standards of ethics, professionalism and discipline in the conduct of impactful research.

Speaking through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olusegun Idowu, the Vice-Chancellor congratulated the Fellows on their appointments, describing them as recognition of their academic excellence and potential to drive innovation, research advancement and national development.

He noted that they were joining a scholarly community founded on integrity, intellectual rigour and service, and urged them to prioritise honesty, diligence and accountability in all research activities, particularly in data collection and analysis.

Prof. Kehinde emphasised that IFSERAR was established to address critical challenges in food security, environmental sustainability and agricultural development, charging the Fellows to be innovative, solution-driven and committed to producing research outputs with tangible local and national impact. He further encouraged collaboration, mentorship, interdisciplinary partnerships and continuous professional development, while stressing the importance of timely delivery of research milestones.

He concluded by reminding the Fellows to serve as worthy ambassadors of IFSERAR and FUNAAB, ensuring that their conduct, publications and professional engagements continue to enhance the University’s reputation.

Earlier, the Director of IFSERAR, Prof. Kazeem Bello, in a presentation titled “Revitalising IFSERAR: FUNAAB’s World-Class Status—Our Focus,” outlined the Institute’s mandate to conduct and coordinate world-class research, with dissemination of outputs to end-users through the Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC). He highlighted IFSERAR’s integrated agricultural research strategy aimed at innovation, commercialisation and economic growth, in line with national food security priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Prof. Bello attributed the Institute’s achievements to staff dedication despite several challenges, including low public awareness of IFSERAR’s capabilities. He advocated improved coordination, long-term planning, stronger academia–industry collaboration through the triple-helix model, increased private-sector engagement, innovation skill development, and prioritisation of quality publications and patents.

Also speaking, Prof. Victor Olowe, a former Director of AMREC, presented an overview of IFSERAR’s history, programmes, mandates and the roles of Research Fellows. He explained that the Institute operates eight programmes covering aquaculture and fisheries, agricultural mechanisation and energy, biosciences, crop production, environmental resources and conservation, food and nutrition, livestock production, and socio-economics.

He outlined the Fellows’ responsibilities, which included proposal development, project monitoring, grant management, research dissemination, limited teaching and supervision, and regular reporting to the Director, while offering practical tips for achieving success and visibility in research.