The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun (In glasses) listening to the Director,
IFSERAR, Prof. Segun Osinowo (2nd Left) during his Field Trip Exercise to IFSERAR Programme Sites.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun has given the directive for the immediate release of the sum of Five Million Naira (N5m) to the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), to further boost research and improve infrastructural facilities at the Institute.
Professor Balogun gave the directive at the end of his One-Day Field Trip of IFSERAR’s Programme Sites at Opeji Village.
The Vice-Chancellor who was obviously impressed with IFSERAR’s performance, especially on the preparation for the take-off of the Kalahari Red-Goats project, commended the team, for a job well done, within the short period of time.
According to him, “let me appreciate the foresightedness of the Director of IFSERAR and his team for the conceptualization of the transformation of RESDEC (Research Development Centre) to IFSERAR. I am not surprised, it is only this highly-focused team that could have converted this thick forest…and for this team to have achieved this much within one year, it should be further encouraged”, he added.
Professor Balogun therefore directed the Acting Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi who was on his entourage, to urgently “squeeze out” the sum of N5 million to IFSERAR.
According to him, the fund will help to provide a befitting Farm Office at the Biosciences Farm Site, as well as facilitate the damming of a seasonal stream at Site 1 Crop/Poultry Unit, which would serve as reservoir for arable crops, aquaculture and livestock production, especially during dry seasons.
Professor Balogun said the Institute had been able to prove that the University Management would have to be more financially committed to its activities, to maximally achieve on its set goals.
“For those doing well, we will encourage and give them necessary support to do more, even if it means cutting-down on cost of taking snacks at meetings.
It is very evident that we have to pump-in more money into the Institute, otherwise, we may not be able to achieve set targets”, said the Vice-Chancellor.
The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that his conviction of the ability of the team at IFSERAR to deliver, made the Institute, the only Unit of the University, to enjoy 100% release of its budgetary appropriation in the current fiscal year.
Professor Balogun then assured that the Management would intercede without delay in critical areas that the institute appeared to be facing challenges, with a hint that extra budgetary considerations might not be overlooked.
In his response, the Institute’s Director, Professor Segun Osinowo, thanked the various Programme Leaders, Researchers and staff of the Institute for their dedication and steadfastness with an appreciation of the commendable support it had received from Management.
Others places visited by the Vice-Chancellor during the trip, included the Biosciences Farm Site, Site I Crop/Poultry Unit, Site 2 (Crop Production), Site 2 IFSERAR Farm, Livestock Site, the16-Hectare Paddock (grazing land) for the Kalahari Goats breeding and the Muturu Cow Site.
According to the Director of IFSERAR, the Kalahari Red-Goat “is the South African breed that is roughly five times the size of an average Nigerian goat. If we are able to adapt it to our environment, it will be more valuable, moreso that it produced a lot of milk”.
