By Ayo Oyoze Baje
Partnership between the Nigeria Soybean Association ( NSA ) and IAR& T
The critical role which partnerships between two organizations, especially those focused on achieving similar goals of boosting both food and nutrition security plays in the country cannot be underestimated. Each of such organizations needs the best of brains to conceptualize the vision, navigate the challenges that evolve and of course, the enabling environment to carry out the processes, projects and programs, to actualize such noble mandates.
Of interest is that recently, the President of the Nigeria Soybean Association, NSA Chief Uwala Ayodele brought to the public sphere the efforts of the agricultural organization with regards to increased production of the crop in the country. According to him one of the primary functions of the NSA is the production of good, high – yielding, pest – resistant soybean varieties to meet the feed requirements in the country. Specifically, the NSA Seed Production in the year 2025 is funded by Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation through bop incorporation and partners (Beyond farming collectives). So far Benue,Kaduna, Niger and Oyo states have cultivated 10 hectres each of one of the improved high yielding soybean varieties TAX 1951-3F. it is expected that the more improved soybean will be available to the soybean farmers in the country. Pushing the strides of the association forward, pragmatic partnerships are being put in place to ensure that it delivers on its mandate.
One of such is between the NSA and the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, IAR&T in Ibadan which incidentally has got a new Executive Director, Prof Gabriel Oluwatosin. Precisely, on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the Executive Director, IAR&T, Prof. Gabriel Oluwatosin received in his office the President of the Nigerian Soybean Association (NSA), Dr. Uwala Ayodele on behalf of the Association. During the brief meeting, Dr. Uwala seized the moment to formally congratulate him on his appointment and wished him a very successful tenure.
He proceeded to appreciate the Institute for its collaboration on soybean project over the years and its support for the NSA. In addition, he used the medium to appreciate the immeasurable and quality contributions of Prof. Egbetokun (who is also in attendance) to the project team and this, he believed, is a credit to the Institute.
Furthermore, he stated that given Prof. Egbetokun’s remarkable contributions, he has been nominated as the Project Team Leader of the NSA, which will cut across states in the country and by implication,he understood how the new assignment may affect the work schedule of the nominee in the Institute. Hence, he officially sought the Director’s permission to grant Prof. Egbetokun the opportunity to be available whenever he is called upon. The President also reiterated the call for support from the Institute, as it was promised by the previous administration led by Prof. Obatolu.
In his response, the new Executive Director expressed his pleasure of seeing Dr. Ayodele, whom he considered an old time friend and extended gratitude to him for the visitation and well wishes. On the one hand, he congratulated Prof. Egbetokun for his nomination and believed it is a good development for the Association and the Institute at large. On the other hand, he unequivocally granted the request and charged him to deliver to his utmost capability. He added that the Institute has always been a significant collaborator of the Association and stated that something will be done with reference to the call for support.
It is worthy of note that the
Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) located at Moor Plantation, Ibadan has the
matching mandate to conduct researches into the genetic improvement of maize, kenaf, jute and soybean.So far, it has performed well breeding different varieties of these seeds as hybrids that are early – maturing, disease – resistant with bumper harvests, attracting patronage not only across the African continent but on the global scale.
With the partnership between the NSA and IAR&T many improved varieties which have been developed over the decades with desirable characters such as high yields, pest resistance, with no shattering and logging will be put to better use .That is especially so in states such as Benue, Kaduna, Niger, Bauchi Jigawa, Nasarawa, Oyo Kwara, Ogun, Kogi Taraba, Zamfara, Kebbi and others. These will benefit the over 30 processing oil mills across Nigeria, including the new ones. Good to also that note cottage industries have been processing soybean into many product,s such as cheese, soy milk, soy fortified, bread gari, and noinmoin. At least a trailer load of soy condiments (Dawadawa) leaves Nigeria to Cameroon weekly and.70% of food source eg Maggi cube contains Soybean.
Eventually, the collaborate between the two organizations will yield fruits for the benefit of the consumers, not only for employment generation but for food and nutrition security.But adequate and sustainable funding should be provided along with solid infrastructure, stable power supply and of course security across the states to walk the talk on pragmatic partnership such as this.