Developing Nations Facing Multiple Challenges-Alake

Nigeria and other developing nations are said to be currently bedeviled with multifarious challenges ranging from Agriculture, energy, economic and environment.

The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Engr. Dr. Temitope John Alake made this known while delivering his welcome address at the Fifth Biennial International Conference of the Centre for Research, Innovation and Development (CRID) at the Institution. Dr. Alake, quoting the OECD-FAO noted that Agriculture outlook 2025-2034, food demand is projected to rise sharply in developing regions, yet per capital access to nutritious food remain low, while agriculture continues to account for 26% of global greenhouse gas emission.

The Rector further noted that the challenge of reliable energy supply has continue to limit industrial growth and rural development as environmental degradation, climate change and infrastructural deficits has continue to threaten the growth of agriculture as it remains the strongest driver of poverty reduction. Speaking further at the conference with the theme “scientific Solutions to Agricultural Energy, Economic and Environmental Challenges in a developing world”, he said that the conference theme have identified the need for science and innovation as catalyst of transformation just as precision agriculture, renewable energy, data driven economic planning and climate smart environmental practices are no longer optional, but essential. Also speaking at the conference, the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye advised participants at the conference to make their attendance meaningful by not making it a mere talk show and come up with policies and framework that wiIl better the lives of the people.

“All stakeholders should be involved in policies and actions that will lead to the development of our environment, strengthen our economy, provide solutions to the myriads of challenges of the state and further look forward to the deepening of the relationship between the Ekiti State House of Assembly and the Institution”, he concluded. In his keynote address, Hon. Bimbo Kolade stated that developing nations faces some unique challenges which includes Agricultural underperformance in the face of growing populations and climate change, energy deficits that limits industrial growth and accessto modern living standards. Economic vulnerabilities driven by dependence on narrow revenue bases and global market fluctuations and environmental degradation resulting fro
m unsustainable practices and weak regulatory enforcement.

The challenges he said can be met through adoption of precision agriculture, scientific solutions to energy economic and Environmental challenges with the government creating enabling policies and research infrastructure, while the academia is ready to conduct applied research that addresses real world problems, the industry must be ready to partner with researchers to commercialize innovations and the community ready to embrace change, adopt sustainable practices and demand accountability.

The Director of CRID, Dr. Charles Ologunde in his welcome address noted that the multidisciplinary conference since its inception has provided “a platform for academics, industry experts, policy makers and innovators to interrogate the challenges facing the world pаrticularly the developing world. Efforts he said is further being made by the Centre on how research findings will be used
to impact the immediate environment as different groups have come up with different research proposals to impact the Institution.

The radio transmitter in used by the FEDPOLAD 97.5 FM he said was designed by a team of researchers led by the current Rector, Dr. T.J. Alake through the Institution Based Research (IBR) grant awarded to the team some years back, Dr. Ologunde said.