OAU Researchers Secure USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture Award

Abdulkareem Abdulbasit


A team of researchers from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile–Ife has clinched the esteemed USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture. Collaborating with the University of California (UC) Davis, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored this $460,599 project, and one of three awarded to West African researchers.

The initiative, spanning 42 months, focused on empowering youth to cultivate local fruits and vegetables. It integrates cutting-edge climate-smart agronomic practices, sustainable soil health through soil amendment, and expert seed production and management. The project emphasizes gender sensitivity, promising to empower youth while being inclusive.

A forward-looking approach lies at the project's core, emphasizing the development of digital tools. These tools serve as a foundation for efficiently transmitting innovative knowledge on indigenous vegetables and fruits to the youth, ensuring widespread learning and skill acquisition. Dr. Atanda Oladejo, a lead investigator from the Department of Crop Production and Protection, OAU, spearheaded this transformative project.

Co-investigators include Drs. Cornelius Atere and Victoria Tanimonure from the Faculty of Agriculture, and Michael Awoleye from the Faculty of Technology, OAU. International collaborators, Drs. Idowu and Abiodun Atoloye from Utah State University, Logan, United States. They all contributed to the global scope of the project.

OAU served as the main host, housing the project's screen house and also functioned as the administrative hub. The visionary leadership of Dr. Erin McGuire from UC Davis, the global project leader, played a pivotal role in steering this initiative toward success. The project's overarching goal is to enhance diet diversity, improve nutrition outcomes, and alleviate unemployment in targeted areas across Nigeria.

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