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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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“Odetola Champions Africa-Centric AI Vision at National Roundtable”

Published

6 hours ago

April 29, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At the National Artificial Intelligence Stakeholders Roundtable 2025, Abiola Odetola, an emerging leader in governance, public policy strategy, and development in Nigeria, delivered a compelling message on the ethical direction and urgent need for proactive regulation of artificial intelligence across the African continent.

Speaking during the Fireside Chat on “AI Regulation and Public Policy” alongside global strategist Major Adebayo Adeleke, Odetola emphasized that Nigeria and Africa must not merely adopt AI technologies, but must actively govern, contextualize, and humanize them.
“We must not allow Artificial Intelligence to govern us; instead, we must boldly govern AI with a human-centered, inclusive approach that reflects our values, context, and aspirations as Africans,” Odetola stated, setting the tone for a forward-looking conversation.

Event Overview
The event, themed “Shaping the Future of AI Governance, Ethics, and Innovation,” was convened by the American Center for Artificial Intelligence and held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja. It brought together leaders in technology, governance, academia, and civil society to chart a strategic course for Nigeria’s AI future.

In his welcome address, Mr. Olusola Amusan, Director of the American Center for AI, emphasized a people-first approach to AI deployment in Africa. He highlighted inclusivity, security, and local relevance as critical pillars for building AI systems that work for African communities.

The keynote presentation by Professor Boniface Alese, titled “AI Defenders I: Revolutionizing Cybersecurity,” explored the intersection of AI and national security infrastructure. The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), also emphasized academia’s role in shaping indigenous research and talent pipelines.

It was against this backdrop of institutional frameworks and technical insight that Odetola’s intervention stood out — offering a human-centered counterbalance and elevating the conversation toward governance that is not only strategic, but values-driven.

The Call for Localized AI Governance
Odetola’s remarks focused heavily on the governance and policy landscape. He underscored the urgency of developing homegrown strategies for regulating AI that go beyond adopting Western norms.

“The world is in a race. But Africa must not sprint blindly. We must legislate, regulate, educate, and protect our people from being mere users of technologies they neither designed nor understood,” he said.

He warned that without clear and inclusive governance structures, AI could deepen inequality, exacerbate unemployment, and replicate existing biases embedded in data.

“AI must be taught our languages, trained with our realities, and must serve our priorities. That is governance. That is power,” he added.
Global Models, Local Realities.

Odetola acknowledged the strides made in global AI governance, noting that several models already exist around the world that seek to promote ethical, transparent, and accountable use of artificial intelligence.

However, he was quick to caution against blind imitation.

“Nigeria must not mimic without meaning,” Odetola asserted.“We need a National AI Strategy that is affordable, enforceable, and local in spirit. Our policymakers must work hand-in-hand with developers, startups, and civil society to co-create these rules.”

He emphasized that many developed nations have already begun an “ethical AI revolution,” but warned that Nigeria must not be left behind — nor fall into the trap of modern algorithmic colonization.

“The global models? They don’t speak our languages. They don’t reflect our cultures. They don’t represent our diversity,” he said.

“We must not just copy frameworks — we must create. We must code in our own context, legislate in our language, and govern with our own values.”He called for a bold new direction: one where Nigeria builds its own datasets, trains its own models, and leads the world in African-centered AI ethics.

Preparing for the Storms Ahead
While optimistic about AI’s potential, Odetola didn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges ahead: low digital literacy, infrastructure deficits, weak data protection enforcement, and a public trust deficit in governance systems.

“These are not reasons to retreat. They are signals to prepare. Nigeria’s youth, with the right support, can leapfrog into global AI leadership,” he stated.
While responding to questions during the chat, Odetola cautioned the audience:

“We must be careful how we define our national realities. For the avoidance of doubt, there are policymakers in Nigeria — people who live their lives to ensure that this country has the best of policy instruments, not just for AI but across critical sectors,” he said.

He pointed to the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation Law and the creation of the National Data Protection Commission in 2023 as evidence of progress in legislative support for AI governance.

He also acknowledged ongoing work by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in crafting a National AI Strategy, noting that discussions must be future-facing while grounded in today’s realities.

The Future is Governance
Odetola made a strong case for recognizing AI as a public good — one that must be designed and governed in service of human development.

“AI must be treated as a public good — for healthcare, for education, for agriculture, for sports, for justice. The people must be at the center of every AI deployment,” he noted.
His voice stood out not just for its policy depth, but for its moral clarity. As Nigeria inches closer to its first formal AI strategy, his words may serve as a compass — a reminder that the future is not just technological; it is political, ethical, and deeply human.

In his final words, he left the room with a challenge:

“AI governance is not a tech issue. It is a leadership issue. The real question is not what AI can do. It is — who will it serve, and who will be left behind if we do not govern it right.”

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