A special event took place on Thursday, July 31, 2014 when FIIRO played host to the very first Executive Director of The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), to visit the institute, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo. The visit was initiated as a follow up to two earlier meetings between him and Director General of FIIRO, Dr. Gloria Elemo in Lagos as well as in South Africa a few months ago. The visit gave FARA Executive Director an opportunity to have a first-hand look at some of the Research and Development Technologies developed in the institute.
Dr. Akinbamijo also made a presentation on the Systemic Analysis of Africa’s Agricultural Transformation: Extending the frontiers of Africa’s agri-food systems. The heart of the lecture looked at where Nigeria is as of today and where it ought to be compared to advancement in the application of Science and Technology in other African countries. He advocated for a more proactive approach in the use of modern technologies to drive the agricultural sector in other to enhance the food security status of the country. He shared the various experiences he had in some other African countries and how FIIRO can play a leading role in fast tracking a positive change in reducing the food import bill of the country.
Dr. Akinbamijo also mentioned the various channels FARA is making use of to enlighten policy makers on the need to give their full weight to every effort to drive agriculture through STI and put more money in the pocket of African farm businesses. Part of such efforts is the High Level Food Security Study visit being coordinated by FARA, of some policy makers and top government functionaries in selected African states to Cuba. The initiative was muted in order for the delegation to share from the experience of Cuba and how the nation was able to transit from a country that used to experience food shortages to a self-sufficient one.
FARA is also presenting some other platforms through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) for FIIRO to come on board as a partner with other organizations working with FARA.
Dr. Gloria Elemo commended the various strategies being adopted by FARA to combat the monster of food shortages in various parts of Africa. She expressed her willingness to make FIIRO a major player in the bid to reverse the trend of spending tons upon tons of foreign exchange on food importation into Africa.