As part of the University of Ibadan’s URBANE PROJECT’s groundbreaking research initiative, 250 staff of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (COMUI), 500 staff of the University of Ibadan (UI), and 250 staff of The Polytechnic, Ibadan have each received 10 synbiotics-inoculated tomato seedlings.
This community engagement, which sensitized staff of the educational institutions to the benefits of agroecological products, also witnessed the distribution of synbiotics-treated tomato seedlings to staff members. The programme, sponsored by the European Union, is part of the outcomes of the 3-year-long research on One Health Approaches to Support Agro-ecological Transformation of Peri-Urban Farming.
The project’s Principal Investigator, Professor Victor O. Adetimirin of the Department of Crop and Horticultural Sciences, University of Ibadan, disclosed that the UI URBANE Project employs the use of synbiotics, one of the key components of agroecological practices. He stated that the research results will benefit farmers, consumers, and the environment. The gains from the project include increased productivity, safety of agricultural produce, reduction in the use of pesticides, antibiotics, and inorganic fertilizers. One principal benefit is that this increased productivity will not compromise the safety of agricultural produce and the environment. This initiative demonstrates the project’s commitment to improving farming practices and promoting sustainability.
Professor Adetimirin mentioned that the research team is presently showcasing the effectiveness of synbiotics in on-farm demonstration trials. According to him, the tomato seedlings that each staff member received can meet a family’s needs for several weeks. Thus, the URBANE project is performing a social responsibility by helping to alleviate the present economic hardships. The trials are being conducted on cucumber, tomato, and okra at Ajeja and broilers at Lalupon. The URBANE project is a global collaboration, involving over 20 organizations, with significant participation from six African countries.
While speaking on behalf of the Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor T.O. Ogundiran, FAS, the Deputy Provost, Professor S.B. Olaleye, thanked the team led by Professor Adetimirin. He applauded the project’s initiative and expressed his appreciation to the project team for the magnanimity displayed through the free distribution of the seedlings.
Between 29th April and May 6, 2025 when the team visited the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, they had given out over 16,000 synbiotics-inoculated tomato seedlings.
