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Agric institutions’ curricula lack organic component, sufficient skilled manpower – experts

Published

6 years ago

April 25, 2019

Some Organic Agriculture experts say the current agriculture curricula being used in Nigeria’s institutions lack the component of organic agriculture practice and sufficient skilled manpower.

The experts said this at the ongoing workshop on “Understanding Organic Agriculture for Curriculum Development’’ organised by Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

Dr Olugbenga AdeOluwa, the Country Coordinator of EOA Initiative said that organic agriculture “is one of the easily misconstrued aspects of agriculture.’’

“Sustainability of environmental resources and safety are important components of organic agriculture which are lacking in conventional agriculture practice currently taught in our institutions.

“There is a difference between organic agriculture and organic chemistry, therefore proper understanding of organic agriculture is needed for effective curriculum development.’’

AdeOluwa, who is also a lecturer at the University of Ibadan said the curricula must address the issue of the four principles of organic agriculture.

“These include the `Principle of Health’ to sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal and human as one and indivisible.

“Principle of Ecology’ that is be based on and working with living ecological systems and cycles emulate them and help sustain them.

“The Principle of Fairness’ built upon relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities.

“The Principle of Care which should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and wellbeing of current and future generations and the environment,’’ AdeOluwa said.

Dr Rasak Olajide, a lecturer with University of Ibadan thanked the EOA for seeing the need to introduce and mainstream organic agriculture content into manpower training at institutions not only in Nigeria, but across the African continent.

Olajide agreed that inadequate knowledge and trained manpower in organic agriculture had prevented its content inclusion in the curricula, especially in Nigeria.

“The direct and immediate consequence of this is dearth of manpower in organic agriculture in our training institutions such as polytechnics and universities.

“Few that are handy are products of short courses in aspects of organic agriculture or those that did related research in using knowledge generated from research to teach organic agriculture lessons.

“The onus lies on our educational institutions to provide a critical mass of professionals to serve these enterprises.’’

Mr Oyewole Gbadamosi, the Project Manager of EOA Initiative said the overall goal of the initiative was to mainstream Ecological Organic Agriculture into national agricultural production systems, policies and practices by 2025.

Gbadamosi said that this was done to improve agricultural productivity, food security, access to markets and sustainable development.

“Our vision is to have a vibrant Ecological Organic System for Enhanced Food Security and Sustainable Development in Africa.

“We also want to promote ecologically sound strategies and practices among diverse stakeholders in production, processing, and marketing through strategic actions and policy making to alleviate poverty, guarantee adequate and healthy food security, improve livelihoods and safeguard the environment.

“EOA is collaborating with the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).

“And Organic Agriculture Projects in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria (OAPTIN), Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigeria (ADAN) to execute the mainstreaming of organic agriculture into the tertiary institution’s curriculum,” he said.

He said that EOA was also partnering with stakeholders to address the issue of lack of skilled manpower.

“We have established Farmers Resource Centres, produced over 23 information and communication materials.

“And the initiative has also successfully supported four masters and two PhD degree programmes,’’ Gbadamosi added.

Mr Ernest Aubee, the Head of Agriculture Division, ECOWAS commission called on all stakeholders to respond to the increasing demand for skilled personnel that could appropriately handle organic agriculture maters.

“Your aim at this workshop must be to see how best to mainstream organic agriculture into the school curriculum to encourage and promote its sustainability in the country.

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Dikko And The New Vision Accountability and Development in Sports

Published

1 week ago

December 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Felly Mammah N.

Since the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko assumed office on the 30th of October, 2024, he has systematically and deliberately been putting in place structures that would result to proper development of sports in Nigeria. Shortly after he was first appointed by President Bola Tinubu as a leading strength of sports, the Director General (DG), Hon. Bukola Olapade was appointed to compliment his efforts.

Many sports analysts believe that the duo of Dikko and Olapade who have been very visible in sports administration will be one of the best combination to take the sports sector to the next level. The DG no doubt, is the head of administration in the Commission, but it should be noted that the financial enablement to manage the affairs of staff and the political might that shops for the finance needed in the running of the sector rest on the Chairman who has the task of liaising with the President directly.

It is also, worthy to note that there is a huge difference between the administration of in the Civil Service as it is controlled by a Permanent Secretary and Directors while the administration of a Commission involves Board Members and experts whose voices and actions are also, game-changing; more so as Commissioners are likely going to take charge of the different zones to proffer solutions for a way forward. The defunct Ministry of Youths and Sports Development which later in 2023 metamorphosed into the Ministry of Sports Development on the assumption of President Bola Tinubu, produced a minister who was not versed in sports administration and as a result, faced mass criticism especially from men of the media.

These men of the pen profession are the torchlight of global sporting activity; they equally keep the history of both sports participation globally as well as the records of athletes’ performances. Their torchlight on past Minister’s and particularly the recent past, have revealed that most of the people who presided over sports administration do not really have any knowledge of the sector before their appointment.

The exit of the immediate past Minister, Sen. John Owan Enoh, refreshingly paved the way for change and this has brought in sports personnels that are expected to place sporting activities in the digital world. Suffice it to also, say that the new management of Sports Commission in parts of her changes is expected to sanitize athletes’ attitude and character for better reflection of children who have seen and communicated with their peers in the Western world.

However, the clarion call for President Tinubu to remove politics in sports may have changed the leadership of sports going by what many sports fans saw in the last outing of both Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where a country like Nigeria did not measure up to her potentials.

Despite the poor performance of atheletes during the World Olympics Games, the past immediate past Minister deserves to be commended that during his tenure, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Games was reawakened as the participation of our Super Eagles brought back hope and jubilation to sports fans including the President and higher authorities. Yes whopping sum of N12 Billion was released two weeks to the Olympics Games and at a time the country was not financially stable. Despite the presidential financial support, the medals presented to the country were crisis and ignorant of both the atheletes, Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Atheletic Federaton to do the needful.

Therefore, it is heart-warming that the President harkened to the appeal of his fellow sports lovers to handpick a known figure in the sports arena to share his wealth of experience that gave him both a name in Sports and positions as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chairman League Management Company (LMC), FIFA match Commissioner of significance, 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and presently, CAF Committee Member, in addition to his new portfolio as Chairman NSC.

My reference point here is that Alh. Dikko has been given the authority to effect positive change in sports sector, co-ordinate over 40 Sports Federations in the sector, welcome ideas of both sports stakeholders, individuals and veterans of sports that will enable him x-ray the reasons for poor performances in the sector and to chat a way forward for success story. There can never be a new testament without an old testament, thus the reason Alh. Dikko’s doors have remained opened to receive courtesy calls that included the visits by past administrators and foreigners who want to facilitate with whom the cap fits.

Still, in the mood of celebration to formally welcome Alh. Dikko to office was the peculiar power of sports which gathered momentum and the crowd for happy moments as seen in the recent novelty match organized by his friends, associates and sports veterans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja recently. That gathering clearly announced not just a man who has made a name for himself at a height in global political decision making in sports circle, but a man who has also, given voice to our country’s leagues and international activities.

Sports is a significant sector that comprises emotion, tension, happiness, sadness even death and hope irrespective of the fact that it has the potential to feed many mouths. The sector cannot be compared to other Ministries with delayed bureaucracies and frustration of abilities. While in the civil service the head will rather submerge a growing talent for fear of power thrown, a coach who discovers a talent takes the credit for showcasing a star athelete discovered. Sports has been proven to generate revenue as well as attract public partnership which are all aimed at enhancing podium performance by the athletes.

Shehu Dikko’s business vision and wide participation in football contributed in making him the right candidate to place the sector in its expected level, increase the GDP of the country’s economy and equally be accountable with administrative roadmap for success.

The novelty match organised for him by his sports fans and League managers had the likes of Samson Siasia, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Dominic Iorfa, Ahmed Musa in attendance to share their joy with him as they displayed their talent with their foot.
Others that graced the occasion were Super Sports General Manager, Felix Nwogu, former and present Chairmen of House Committee on Sports, NFF President, NOC members and persons from across the globe. That singular act indicated a clear fact that Dikko can actually gather momentum with persons that can support his ideology to deliver as charged by the presidency.

However, the Chairman’s meekness to open his doors to all does not mean weakness neither does it mean that he has not commenced work officially. His work is more of brain tasking because ideas actually rule the world. I will boldly say that he has resumed work with like minds that will not only be on the same page with him but will as well be on success Guinness Book with him.

Felly Mammah N.
Press Officer (NSC).

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