The EU-funded URBANE Project on Monday distributed more synbiotic-treated ready-to-transplant tomato seedlings to members of staff of two tertiary institutions in Ibadan.
The tertiary institutions are The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (UI).
Recall that 533 UI members of staff, on Tuesday, received 10 seedlings each.
According to the project’s Principal Investigator, Prof. Victor Adetimirin, the distribution, as a community outreach effort, aimed at sensitising Nigerians on the benefits of agroecology farm products.
Adetimirin, a Professor of Plant Breeding and Crop Production, Department of Crop and Horticultural Sciences, UI, said the research project was geared towards making peri-urban agriculture safe.
“Given the increasing rural-urban migration in Nigeria and other countries, and the commensurate increase in peri-urban farming, conventional agriculture comes with its challenges.
“These challenges are in terms of certain practices that degrade the environment, contaminate agricultural produce and expose farm workers to hazards.
“The practice of conventional agriculture in peri-urban areas may also expose high population urban areas to risks resulting from the outbreak of zoonotic diseases and contamination of underground water.
“It is, therefore, imperative that we make the practice of agriculture in peri-urban areas safe, to protect the people in urban areas,” he said.
He remarked that over 20 organisations worked together on the project, with many partners in Europe.
According to him, the project is being implemented in Nigeria and five other African countries.
“We have obtained remarkable results on the use of synbiotics to increase the productivity of vegetable crops, broiler chicken and pigs.
“Synbiotics are combinations of Probiotics and Prebiotics. Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms; similar beneficial microorganisms are present in our gut, and they help to improve gut health,” he said.
The don stated that the research found probiotics that promote the growth of tomato, cucumber, okra, broiler chicken, and pigs,” he said.
According to Adetimirin, harvesting the fruits from the tomato seedlings will help families, especially now that tomatoes and other food items are very expensive.
“At present, we are also demonstrating the remarkable results of our research in On-Farm Demonstration Trials at Ajeja and Lalupon,” Adetimirin said.
The Rector, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Dr Taiwo Lasisi, appreciated the team for extending the benefits of the research results to the Polytechnic community.
Lasisi, represented by the Deputy Rector, Mrs Olaide Salawu, said the seedlings would be of immense assistance to the institution’s members of staff.
“We were told that within 3 to 4 months, we’ll be harvesting our tomatoes.
“You know, the money you will spend to buy tomatoes for your soup or your stew will be removed and at the end of the day, you will have that money to cater to other areas of your life and needs,” he said.
It was reported that 10 seedlings were each given to 250 members of staff of The Polytechnic, Ibadan and another 250 members of staff of the College of Medicine, UI.
Also, the heads and management staff of the two institutions each received a bowl of 180 seedlings.
