landmark university omu-aran, kwara state. executive advance programme november, 2014 by prof....

LANDMARK UNIVERSITY

OMU-ARAN, KWARA STATE.

EXECUTIVE ADVANCE PROGRAMME NOVEMBER, 2014

BY PROF. OLUSOLA. O. AGBEDEHOD CROP & SOIL SCIENCES

DEVELOPING VIABLE RESEARCH CLUSTERS IN LMU

• In line with the Agricultural revolution mandate of Landmark University which aims to combat poverty, unemployment and food insecurity, in the country viable result-oriented programs that are potentially capable of transforming and proffering practical solutions to current challenges in agriculture in general must be put in place for rigorous and aggressive pursuit.

LANDMARK UNIVERSITYDEVELOPING VIABLE RESEARCH CLUSTERS

PREAMBLE

1

• The revolutionary research programmes should lead to the production of sufficient food internally to feed students, staff and sell excess to our immediate environment, the Nation and export.

• Research activities at Landmark would be interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary & transdisciplinary (uniting two elsewhile antagonistic cultures such as Science and Humanities) which deals with convergence of knowledge for higher purposes.

2

3

• We need to train our students, staffs and farmers on profitable, sustainable and modern techniques of agricultural (Crops and Animals) production.

• Climate changes with its attendant erratic rainfall pattern, high temperatures affect rain fed crops which produce very poor yields had become global problem that demand adaptation and mitigation.

4

5

• Problems of new emerging pests, diseases and weeds with inadequate management skill by farmers demand urgent and sustainable solution.

• Provision of adequate protein-rich-diet especially within the rural poor-resource farming communities.

• Menace of nomadic herdsmen to crop and life of farmers.

6

7 8

RESEARCH FOCAL AREAS / CLUSTERS

S/N FOCAL AREAS COMPONENT RESEARCH THEMES

1 Global Food Production and Food Security Research

Hybrid crop varieties development. Green house production and

management Soil Fertility management (SFM) Irrigation design and water management. Animal improvement (breeding) and Climate change adaptation and

mitigation.


2 Climate Change and Environmental Impact

Improving the Photosynthesis of crops such as cereals and legumes.

Stress tolerance, photosynthesis and yields of crops under tropical conditions e.g. biomass production of the crops under low and high temperatures and high radiation.

Securing water-in-food transformations to improve the use of water throughout the food chain.

Improved germplasm and increasing resource use efficiency.


2 Climate Change and Environmental Impact

Working to stabilize crop yields in the face of new and emerging disease threats.

Developing systems of modeling, monitoring and managing water use and ensuring water quality.

Developing farmer adaptation strategies. Utilizing plant and crop systems diversity. Engaging indigenous knowledge and

associated plant genetic base Development of dual purpose crops to

provide both food and fuel.


3 Soil Assessment And Conservation for Food Security

Understanding plant-soil interaction to improve crop architecture.

Use of X-ray Computer Technology to provide images on soil and plant roots without destructive sampling.

Effects of soil compaction on crop root growth, root hair quality on nutrient uptake.

Use of medical and biodiversity to improve crop yield without using more chemical fertilizers.

Monitoring Soil physical properties at micro scale and genetics of plants’ root for nutrient uptake efficiency and increase crop yield.


4 Mapping, extent, distribution and remediation of problem soils in Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zone of Nigeria.

Remediation of Acid-affected and salt-affected soils.

Semi-detailed survey of selected areas along maize, rice and cassava value chain.

Soil Fertility evaluation and management.

Train-The-Trainer (TOT) Programmes and Extension service on Conservation Agriculture (CA) in selected centres around the state.


5 Biotechnology Research Centre

Establishment of biotechnology centre as a tool for agricultural growth.

Field of Biotechnology Research, Application and Utilization to greatly increase food and fibre, animal production, energy and improve quality of life.

Landmark University to make significant contribution in biotechnology research, training and application in collaboration with International Research Institutes in cash and kind.


6Animal Production

Food Efficiency for both ruminant and non-ruminants

Mitigation of methane from livestock feaces. Improving meet quality.

7

Waste Management

Waste Management: Minimizing contamination improving self-life; better packaging, material design and agricultural practices; and new manufacturing paradigms.

Energy Conservation: Improved efficiency in production and finding multiple use of crop and waste streams.

Waste Nutrition: Understanding the impact of nutrition on human health; providing the optimum and most bio-accessible nutritional load in our food; optimizing and modifying nutritional values through improved plant and animal production; and having a better understanding of consumer behaviours and preference.


7 Waste Management

Water Resources: Optimizing use of water in food production by planning for drought and floods; having plants and animal that can cope with the extremes; designing new processes and ingredient mixes that require minimal water usage; and manufacturing plants which recycles/re-use waste ware.

Primary processing - optimizing raw material production

Secondary Process – The Integration of factory design for energy, water and waste minimization.

Tertiary Process – The fate of food during digestion for optimal nutrient delivery and impact on human health.


7 Waste Management

Enabling Technologies Improved process capabilities. Water usage for Purification and efficient

use of water. Energy delivery from water streams in

current manufacturing practices. Food safety and spoilage. Consumer understanding to minimize waste Multiple use of crops/waste streams Modification of processing and digestibility

of plant cell walls


8 Societal impacts of food research, production & consumption.

Valuable research in the field of ethics and social science will be conducted to examine the Complexity of the food system Nature of sustainable food production How it can be characterized (or framed ) by

different actors ,for example as a political issues Social and political factors that impact on

consumption pattern as well as distribution and production system.

How the different framing of these issues might impact on targeted research agendas and policy responses.

The claim made regarding biotechnologies solution.

The underlying assumption relating to alternative production system.


9 Unpopular Crops

Discover other crops other than Rice, Wheat and Maize for nutrition, Animal Feed, Medicines and other uses.

Increase the knowledge base of under-utilized crops, especially sustained market access, nutritional security and health

Identifying and advocating necessary policy change to promote the use of under-utilized crops.

Fostering capacity building about under-utilized crops.


10 Global Food Security Collaborations and linkages.

University to link with ARCN and other Research Institutes.

Liaise with NCAM for Agricultural Mechanization.

Recruitment of international Faculty and students.

Mutually beneficial collaboration with FMARD to achieve desired commodity value chain goals

Establish journal outlets with International standards based on the competencies of the University.

Seek further Collaborations and Linkages with renowned foreign Universities.


10 Global Food Security Collaborations and linkages.

Staff exchange programme for teaching and research

Students exchange programme especially for the practical year (400 level)

Post-Graduate Development and scholarship award to our students

International marketing of our agricultural products

Organization of international seminar on sustainable agricultural production in developing countries

Training of our technologists in equipment use, maintenance and repairs


11 Research and Knowledge Transfer

Sustainable chemical and biological processing

Global food security Drugs and energy discovery Advanced manufacturing Collaborations and partnerships Research data management Integrating global society Center for advanced studies. Research group that will maximize the

visibility and impact of LMU research

S/N FOCAL AREAS COMPONENT RESEARCH THEMES11 Research and

Knowledge Transfer

Securing significant level of external funding to support research activities at LMU

Become an Institutional Leaders for their research topics.

Incorporating interdisciplinary Collaboration of international quality.

Provide a first-class environment for career development and training.

Attract high quality staff postgraduates and strategic partnerships.


12 Publications Encourage joint research publications and grant proposals within and outside Nigeria.

Improve the webometrics and World Class ranking of the University.

Embark on periodic publications of Research outputs of the University.

13 Industry income Innovation

Established a robust Consultancy Unit. Empower the LMU consult to render

services to the industrial community.

GENERAL REMARK • The University management

should quickly put the Directorate of Research in place.

• Principal Investigators with research teams should be appointed to take charge of each research cluster / focal area.

• Faculty and staff should be committed to justify the various position employed to occupy.

!

THANKS FOR LISTENING,GOD BLESS.

landmark university omu-aran, kwara state. executive advance programme november, 2014 by prof....

Documents

research activities

global food production

lmu slide

production of sufficient

food insecurity

food transformations

food chain

water management