Agricultural Value Addition Programme was formally known as Product Development Programme and had its name changed to Agricultural Value Addition Programme in July 2019 to ensure its all encompassing research works.
The programme conducts basic and applied research into technology improvement and innovation in processing and utilisation that would contribute to food security through reduction of food losses and increase value-added products for sustainability and wealth creation.
The programme has experienced and competent scientists from various disciplines including Human nutrition, Food science, Nutritional biochemistry, Food microbiology, Meat science, Agricultural extension and rural development and Agricultural engineering
Subtheme of the Activities of the Programme:
1. Sustainable processing and utilisation of maize and other mandate crops for alleviation of poverty and malnutrition.
2. Utilisation of legumes ( including underutilised legumes) for improved nutrition and economic development.
3. Development of ideal processing conditions and utilisation for good quality kenaf products and other industrial crops.
1. Optimising food-processing technologies to reduce drudgery and time of processing
2. Developing food products for
different categories of people for sustainable health e.g good quality weaning
diet for babies and infants to combat the problem of protein/ energy
malnutrition
3. Analysing food products for nutritional,
microbiological, biochemical and sensory characteristics.
4. Improving shelf life
characteristics of crops and processed foods.
5. Developing food modules and
trainings for cottage, low, medium and large scale food industries to avert
postharvest losses and contamination and to improve nutrient retention.
6. Developing effective packaging systems for retention of texture, flavour and nutrients of processed foods and to extend/prolong shelf life
.
SUSTAINABLE LAND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SECURITY
The programme is focus on three major areas of Research and Service: Pedology/Soil Survey and Land Evaluation, Soil Fertility Studies and Soil and Water Conservation.
Focus is
given to:
·
Soil
information system for Nigeria
·
Integrated
soil fertility management and production system
·
Urban
agriculture and dry season farming
·
Soil
and water conservation strategies for sustainable agricultural production
·
Advancement
in laboratory technologies
·
Development
of soil information system for Nigeria in collaboration with partners in the
six major agro-ecological zones in Nigeria
·
Digital
mapping and production of digital soil maps, suitability maps and nutrient maps
of local government areas in Nigeria (about 20 LGAs has been accessed to date)
·
Development
of web portal interface for dissemination of soil information in Nigeria.
·
Accelerated
Composting Technique (ACT) to further reduce the period of composting to 4
weeks through controlled environment and bio-fortication of IAR&T organic
fertilizer
·
Calibration
studies for improved fertilizer formulation and recommendation.
·
Use of plant
growth promoting rhizobacteria for improved crop performance
·
Production
of pyrolysed compost for increased soil quality and availability/utilization of
nutrients
·
On–station research
of bio-fertilizer as crop growth promoter
·
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
(FMARD)
·
Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria
(ARCN)
·
National Research Institutes
(NARIs)
·
State Agricultural Development Programme
(ADPs)
·
Bora Agro Nigeria
Limited
(BANL)
·
International Institute of Tropical Agricultural
(IITA)
·
Private agro-input dealers e.g. Greenworld PLC, ISONEM
Chemicals,
·
Ogun –Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA)
·
Biochar Initiative
·
Commodity Farmers Association,
·
Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS),
·
National Organic Association of Nigeria (NOAN),
·
Organic Agriculture Project in Tertiary Institution in Nigeria
(OAPTIN)
The following grants have been enjoyed by the programme:
- International Development for Research Center (IDRC)
- Department for International Development (DFID)
- Food Foundations (FF)
- United States Department of Agriculture/ Federation of American
Scientists
(USDA/FAS)
- TETFUND grant for Appropriate Processing Technology for Carotenoid Retention in Yellow Cassava
1. Generation of food products from roselle, pigeon pea, lima
bean, dried kenaf and Chocorus vegetables, soybean, bambara groundnut , pigeon
pea, maize, quality protein maize,and roselle, All technologies were developed
for household, cottage and industrial use.
2. Development and nutritional evaluation of shelf-stable
products from
(i) Soya bean such as cheese, milk, yoghurt, tofu sticks, dawadawa, soya-ogi, soya-garri, soya-corn milk, soya-mayonnaise, soya-burger, and other soya-based snacks.
(ii) Roselle such as
wine, tea and jam.
(iii) Maize-based
snacks such as maize biscuits and maize chinchin.
(iv) Pigeon pea such
as dawadawa in fresh, dried and cube forms, maize-pigeon pea flour and snacks,
fufu-pigeon pea flour, lafun-pigeon pea flour.
(v) Others include lima bean snacks, dawadawa, moinmoin, alapa and ekuru. Quality protein maize (QPM) spiced cake, QPM kokoro and QPM- kidney bean abari.
3. Developing food training modules for cottage, low scale
and large scale food industries to minimise postharvest losses and
contamination, and for improved nutrient retention.
Developing effective packaging systems for retention of texture, flavour and nutrients of highlighted processed foods.
Transfer of technologies through training to facilitate the adoption of some of the perfected developed technologies for income generation
·
Production
of functional soil maps of Nigeria based on agro-ecological zones.
·
Correlation
of Nigeria soils and development of National Soil Nomenclature System.
·
Monitoring
land quality/degradation.
·
Testing
and validating improved inorganic and organic fertilizer /biochar formulation
to address current challenge of low soil productivity.
·
Multiplication
of identified inoculants for accelerated composting.
·
Promotion
of bio-fertilizers for crop growth among farmers.
Advisory
services to farmers, agricultural institutions and industries through soil
survey and mapping, land evaluation recommendations for appropriate management
practices.
Training
of trainers and farmers on production and use of organic fertilizers.
MEET Our RESEARCH Team
Research Professor
Research Professor
Prof. Subuola Fasoyiro
Research Professor
