A Professor of Food Science and Technology, Prof Michael Idowu, has called on the private sector to sponsor and introduce a new product known as the ‘Nigerian Bread’ into the market, just like there are British, German, French and Arabian variants of bread.
The don stated that the introduction of the ‘Nigerian Bread,’ which will be a product of composite flour technology sourced from non-wheat local content, would greatly impact the nation’s economy and reduce dependence on importation of raw materials.
Prof Idowu made this call while delivering the 81st Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, held on Wednesday, 6th September, 2023, at the Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building.
Prof. Idowu averred that sourcing local content to produce purely ‘Nigerian Bread’ will cause an upsurge in the demand for non-wheat flour in food grade, quantity and quality, adding that the demand could provide job opportunities for the unemployed and improve economic activities leading to sustainability of the composite flour technology.
He therefore, in his submission, urged private organisations to assist the government in the funding of research and development in universities and research institutes so as to improve university-industry relationship and increase commercialisation of research results.
Delivering his lecture titled: ‘Composite Flour Technology for Sustainable Bread Production, Nutrition and Food Security in Nigeria,’ he said that there is the need for the establishment of a National Research Centre, NEC, with the mandate to plan, execute and evaluate researches of national importance.
He added that such centres will also be involved in harvesting research outputs from various tertiary and research institutions for commercialisation and implementation to further generate income for both researchers and sponsors, as well as make funding available for more research in the future.
Earlier, FUNAAB Vice-Chancellor, VC,, Prof.Olusola Babatunde Kehinde, who chaired the Inaugural Lecture, in his introductory speech, read the profile of the Inaugural Lecturer.
He described him as a man whose track record speaks volume of experience, a proven researcher, tested scholar, a mentor and a silent achiever.
