Training Updates

Updates from SEC Nigeria Soybean Production (Basic Certificate Course) 2nd Batch Training.

The Soybean Production Training started on the 17th to 21st May, 2021 at the Sahel Meeting Room, IITA Ibadan with an Opening Ceremony where the Director General of Premier Agribusiness Academy and Project Director for The Soy Excellence Center, Francis Toromade introduced the Regional Representative of USSOY in Sub-Saharan Africa and Focal point for USSOY in SEC Nigeria Michael David. Michael David started with an Introductory speech welcoming the participants to the second edition of the Poultry Track program. Onallo Akpa Chairman, SEC Advisory Council/DG Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) also gave a welcome speech to all participants. The Regional Director, South Asia, Sub-saharan Africa USSEC, Kevin Roepke welcomed all participants to the training program, The Counselor for Agricultural Affairs Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon Gerald H. Smith gave the Keynote address after which the training commenced.

The Nigerian Soy Excellence Center organized the Soybean Production Training sponsored by USSOY. The maiden program was held in November, 2020 with 33 participants in attendance who were trained by experts from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Business Incubation Platform (BIP). These participants were awarded a Basic Certificate in Soybean Production from the Soy Excellence Center (SEC).

The first lecture, Origin, Importance, and Production Trends of Soybean, was delivered by Frederick Schreurs (CEO IITA (BIP)) and Abush Abebe, a trained agronomy expert of the IITA Business Incubation Platform

Diallo Thierno On behalf of Marcos Dalevedove delivered the second lecture, Soil and Land Preparation.

The third lecture Good Agricultural Practices was delivered by Ekeleme Friday, a weed scientist from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.

The AgroInfoTech Consulting team wrapped off the first day activities by onboarding all participants to the Learning Management System where daily quiz, course evaluation and final assessment will be taken. Participants were also provided technical support in using this platform to review courses already taken and study in preparation for upcoming classes.

Day 2 of the Soybean Production Training 18th May, 2021 began with the Project Director, Francis Toromade engaging participants on their experience in class the previous day after which participants introduced themselves and talked about action points from what they had learnt. AgroInfoTech Consulting attended to participants who had issues taking their quiz on the LMS platform.

The first lecture, Farm Mechanization for Soybean Cultivation was delivered by Peter Kolawole an Agricultural Engineer and Mechanization Specialist at the IITA.

The second lecture, Soybean Production (Agronomy) was delivered by Ayodele Uwala the President of Nigeria Soybean Association on behalf of Kolawole Ojo.

The third lecture The Science of Genetically Modified Soybean was delivered by Wayne Parrott an expert from the University of Georgia

The fourth lecture Pests and Diseases Identification and Management was delivered by Manohar Nath a Pest and Disease expert at the IITA.

Day 3 of the Soybean Production Training 19th May, 2021 began with an interactive session between the Project Director, Francis Toromade and participants. The IITA team projected a short documentary of the institute after which lectures commenced.

Samuel Mesele, a Soil fertility specialist at the Soil Management Unit of IITA delivered the first and second lecture Soil Fertility and Fertilization, Fertilizers and Fertilizer Applicants.

The third lecture Post-Harvest Techniques and Conservation was delivered by Frederick Schreurs (CEO IITA (BIP)) and Abush Abebe.

The final lecture for the training Soybean Irrigation was delivered by Peter Kolawole

The fourth day of the soybean production training was a field day where facilitators held practical demonstrations and field sessions. After having their breakfast, participants visited the IITA Soybean field. This session was facilitated by Abush Abebe who took the participants to the Screen House where all hybridization activities take place. Participants were able to see and understand the process involved in developing and registering soybean varieties.

Abush Abebe and the participants visited the Threshing Building where they saw the grain threshing, selection and moisture sections of IITA. The seed storage room was also visited after which the group went to the open Soybean field.

Samuel Mesele and the participants on the field engaged in the process of taking soil sampling for laboratory analysis using the Sand Auger. He also demonstrated the application of fertilizer, soil texture estimation, soil profile description and nodule identification. Participants visited ASLAB with Samuel Mesele and the Lab Manager Joseph Uponi showed them the lab analysis equipment and the process involved in taking an analysis.

Pictures at ASLAB

The Nodumax center was the next stop for participants where they were taught on the application of “Nodumax”, by Bola Oke.

NoduMax is a new legume inoculation technology developed at the IITA Business Incubation Platform. NoduMax is intended for soybean crops so that they are better able to access nitrogen from the air.

Peter Kolawole and the participants visited the John Craig Dam where he explained the chain of supply from the dam to outside bodies as well as internal supply of water at IITA. The irrigation process at IITA was also explained to participants after which there was a stop at the rice farm.

The participants and Diallo Thierno visited the FAO Yard. Diallo Thierno showed participants equipment for mechanized farming built by IITA. Equipment for hole making, ploughing, irrigation, spraying and threshing among others were shown to participants who showed interest in purchasing for on their farm land.

Soybean samples presented to all participants on the first day of lectures by Frederick Schreurs for an experiment of seed germination was reviewed on the field.

To wrap up the field practice and sessions, Diallo Thierno and the participants visited FMS, IITA to see some processing machines. The fourth day was very eventful and well spent, participants retired for the day after all activities.

A USSOY PROGRAM

The Poultry Management Training program sponsored by US SOY started with the first batch in February, 2021 where 25 participants were trained by experts from the Premier Agribusiness Academy and other professional facilitators from Kansas State University, United States. The maiden program awarded participants a Basic Certificate in Poultry Production.

The Poultry Management Training Batch 2 started on the 18th to 22nd April, 2021 at the International Conference Center, IITA Ibadan with an Opening Ceremony where the Director General of Premier Agribusiness Academy and Project Director for The Soy Excellence Center, Nigeria Mr. Francis Toromade introduced the Regional Representative of USSOY in Sub-Saharan Africa and Focal point for USSOY in SEC Nigeria Dr. Michael David. Dr. David started with an Introductory speech welcoming the participants to the second edition of the Poultry Track program. 

The Regional Director, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa USSEC, Mr. Kevin Roepke also gave his opening remarks, emphasising the vision of establishing the Center in Nigeria “to support agriculture as a foundation for a healthy and growing Nigeria with soya as a solution for Nigeria’s protein needs. The concept is to help growing markets like Nigeria address protein challenges and create a “cascade of demand” for soy and soy-related products.” and the need for a food-secure country. He further welcomed all participants to the training program after which Mr. Onallo Akpa Chairman, SEC Advisory Council and also the Director General of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) gave a welcome speech reiterating the commitment of the various stakeholders on the Advisory Council. 

The Counselor for Agricultural Affairs Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon Mr. Gerald H. Smith gave the Keynote address after a goodwill message from Kansas State University was also delivered by Dr. Carlos Campabadal.

The Nigerian Soy Excellence Center’s goal is to provide agricultural expertise and facilitate connections that drive market possibilities across the agri-food value chain.

The first and second lectures, Fundamentals of Poultry Production and Management, and Record Keeping Economics and Marketing were delivered by Mr. Anula Aondover SNR James, a Registered Animal Scientist and a certified Kansas State University Trainer on the poultry value chain.

In wrapping up the activities for the first dayt, he third lecture, Hatchery and Brooding Management was delivered by Dr. Wilmer Pacheco, a Professor at the Auburn University, United States who has over 3 decades of experience in the poultry value chain. Mr. Anula Aondover SNR James and Dr. Wilmer Pacheco later spent sometime discussing and engaging with the participants, taking their questions and providing valuable insights.

The first day activities was wrapped up by onboarding all participants to the Learning Management System where daily quiz, course evaluation and final assessment will be taken. Participants were also provided technical support in using this platform to  review courses already taken and study in preparation for upcoming classes. This was handled by AgroInfoTech Consulting.

20th April, 2021

The second day started with a review of first day lectures moderated by Dr. Festus Oluwole Ogunbayo and the Project Director for the Soy Excellence Center, Mr. Francis Toromade who engaged participants on the previous day lectures; Fundamentals of Poultry Production and Management, Poultry Value Chain Overview and Hatchery and Brooding Management.  Shortly after this there was a review on the Quiz for the first day lectures by the AgroInfoTech team where participants’ performance was discussed and technical issues faced by participants were addressed.

The first lecture, Biosecurity in Poultry was delivered by  Dr. Festus Oluwole Ogunbayo, a Veterinary doctor, Consultant and a certified Kansas State University Trainer on the poultry value chain.

The second lecture, Broiler Production and Management was delivered by Dr. Wilmer Pacheco, a Professor at the Auburn University, United States and also a poultry value chain professional. The third lecture Heat Stress Mitigation in Poultry. was delivered by Dr. Festus Oluwole Ogunbayo

Activities for the second day came to an end with the AgroInfoTech Consulting team attending to technical issues faced by participants on the previous day. Participants were also guided through the process of taking Day 2 Quiz and course evaluation.

Wednesday the 21st of April, 2021 marked the final day of the Poultry Management Training. The Project Director for the Soy Excellence Center, Mr. Francis Toromade engaged participants briefly on tips to guide their path in the poultry value chain. The participants were taken on a tour of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Campus. Participants toured round the Greenhouse (Controlled plant growing environment), Rice Research field, Maize Research field  and ended the tour at the John Craig Dam.  

On arrival, the first and second lecture, Layer Production and Management and Poultry Nutrition were delivered by  Dr. Olugbenga Adeniran Ogunwole, a lecturer and a certified Kansas State University Trainer on the poultry value chain.

Dr. Wilmer Pacheco, a Professor at Auburn University, United States delivered the 3rd lecture, Poultry Value  Chain Overview

Activities for the third and final day of the training programme came to an end with a review on Day 2 quiz by the AgroInfoTech Consulting team who also discussed Day 3 quiz and the final assessment of participants on Thursday, 22nd April, 2021. 

The Nigeria Soy Excellence Center has an Advisory Council that oversees the operations of the project in Nigeria. The Advisory Council membership consists of the stakeholders across the Nigerian agricultural value-chain. The council  members includes representatives from the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Catfish and Allied Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFFAN), Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), FARMERS, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), The Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment (FMITI), Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Nigeria Soybean Association (NSA), the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH). The next Advisory Council meeting will hold on the 29th of April, 2021 at Protea Hotels, Ikeja Lagos.

Premier Agribusiness Academy is a leading centre of learning, developing and transferring well researched and innovative competencies required for sustainable investment in all allied industries of the agri-sector. The Academy is the Center Lead of the Nigeria Soy Excellence Center ( USSOY Program).