The 2019 International Conference on Research and Innovations in Agriculture (ICERIA) being organized by Agrobusiness Times, has been scheduled to hold in Lagos on October 24, with Kanayo Nwanze, former president, International Fund for Agricultural Development expected as keynote speaker.
Themed: “Harnessing Sustainable Agricultural Innovations for Economic Development”, the conference, which is scheduled to hold at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos has partnership acceptance and endorsements by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the National Biotechnology Management Agency (NBMA).
Jim Rex-Lawson Moses, Editor of Agrobusiness Times, said in a statement that the major objective of the conference is to attract government attention towards funding of research institutes in Nigeria. Furthermore, encourage the commercialisation of sustainable research outcomes and innovations to advance the nation’s economy. This, he believes will be achieved through robust stakeholders’ engagement and rigorous discourse to chart a new green revolution backed by research and technology.
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Jim Lawson stated further that the event was necessitated by the need to position the agric industry to change the present narrative of hunger, famine, starvation and poverty largely suffered in sub-Saharan Africa despite the huge opportunities for export, job and wealth creation.
“We believe that for us to change the current narrative, all hands must be on deck to make agriculture a major foreign exchange earner considering the huge opportunities,” he said.
Apart from Kanayo Nwanze, former IFAD President who is Keynote Speaker, other expected speakers include Rose Gidado, country coordinator, Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB); Rufus Ebegba, DG/CEO, National Biotechnology Management Agency (NBMA); Kenton Dashiell, deputy director general, Partnerships for Delivery, IITA.
Others are Seye Oyeleye, DG, Development Agenda of Western Nigeria (DAWN Commission), Rogers Joshua Tanko, lead scientist, Feeds and Nutrition Research Programme, National Animal Production Research Programme.
The aim of ICERIA 2019, according to organisers, is to propagate research milestones and innovations in the field of agriculture while creating awareness to facilitate opportunities for networking, collaborations and exchange of ideas with internationally renowned leaders in agriculture. ICERIA would also identify innovations in optimizing agriculture, enlighten and educate farmers, students and others with interest in the sector.
