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Nigeria’s elite, including governors, ministers, industry leaders, and business moguls, will gather in Abuja on October 20th to attend the Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN) diamond jubilee conference.
Six governors, including those of Niger, Mohammed Umaru Bago, Nasarawa, Engr Abdullahi Sule, and Jigawa, Mallam Umar A Namadi, would be given awards of excellence at the event.
Others are Barr Peter Mbah, Governor of Enugu State, Governor Babagana Umaru Zulum of Borno State, and his Ekiti counterpart, Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
The society will also confer its prestigious Fellowship Awards (FASN) to deserving members during the conference.
Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, the National President of ASN, Prof Jude Mbanasor, said the diamond jubilee conference is significant because it showcases the commitment of the society towards building sustainable food security in Nigeria in the last 60 years.
He listed the theme of the Abuja ASN confab as “FEEDING THE FUTURE: Scaling innovation, resilience and partnerships in Nigerian agriculture”.
According to Prof Mbanasor, the Director General of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr Simeon Ehui, will be the plenary speaker while Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, will be the keynote speaker.
He said the confab, which will be held between October 19th and 22nd at the NAF Conference Centre, Jahi, Abuja, will feature more than 10 sub-themes under which quality papers would also be delivered by notable scholars.
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Prof Jude Mbanasor, who is serving his second and last tenure as the national president of the society, disclosed that vice-chancellors and heads of research institutions across the federation have been invited to share their insights on the theme and sub-themes of the conference.
He noted that ASN members who are found in all Nigerian universities and research institutions have been at the forefront of advancing technology in food production as well as sustainability of research as driver towards enhanced food security.
He said the diamond jubilee conference of ASN would also be used to further market digital agriculture, agribusiness finance, data systems, among other innovative platforms.
On the award to the six governors, Prof Jude Mbanasor explained that it was a deliberate effort to encourage them in their policy initiatives towards food security in Nigeria.
He disclosed that whereas some of them have made a direct investment in agriculture, others have consistently been funding policies aimed at boosting food production in their states and Nigeria.
The ASN president urged policymakers to key into the programme of the society by funding research findings aimed at enhancing food production in Nigeria.
He however expressed deep appreciation to the Director General of National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, the chairperson of the local organising committee for the diamond jubilee conference, Dr Rose Gidado, and her team for putting together a conference that shall remain a reference point in years to come.
He also commended the Vice-Chancellors of Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria, the Executive Directors of research institutions, and other stakeholders who have put in efforts and resources to ensure the success of the conference.
