Chief Afe Babalola, distinguished farmer and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has been honored with the title of the 2024 African Man of the Year in food security. The prestigious award, bestowed by the Global Food Security Committee of the Initiative for Green Sustainability, recognized Babalola’s relentless efforts in shaping sustainable farming practices across sub-Saharan Africa.
The Award Committee, selecting Babalola from a pool of ten nominees across the region, underscored his significant role in championing food security initiatives. Foremost among these initiatives are the ABUAD Bio-Diversified Farms, the Afe Babalola Annual Agricultural Grants, the ABUAD Talent Discovery Centre, the ABUAD Planetarium, the ABUAD Industrial Park, and ABUAD FM Radio.
Expressing his elation at this distinguished honor, Babalola expressed a renewed commitment to advancing agriculture as a competitive revenue earner. He stressed the pivotal role of agriculture in the nation’s economic landscape and urged the federal government to revitalize dormant farm settlements nationwide. Furthermore, Babalola emphasized the importance of integrating agricultural education at all levels, advocating for a comprehensive approach to ensuring the sustainability and productivity of the sector.
In his address, the pro-chancellor of ABUAD passionately urged the government to bestow national honors upon successful farmers and agricultural promoters, emphasizing their vital role in national development. He called for augmented budgetary allocations to the agriculture sector, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable policies to attract young minds to the field. Babalola’s plea resonated with a call for direct allocations to local governments to catalyze robust agricultural development at the grassroots level.
- Tags: afebabalola, agriclture, Award, food security
