A cross-section of Participants at the 37th Annual Conference
The Nigerian Society for Plant Protection (NSPP) held its 37th Annual Conference at the College of Plant Science (COLPLANT) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).
Speaking at the Conference, the National President of NSPP, Professor D.B. Olufolaji, disclosed that the event was historical in the sense that a similar Conference was held in the University, nine years ago.
Prof. Olufolaji declared that NSPP was inaugurated in 1971 at the University of Ibadan with late Prof. O.F Esuruoso, elected as its first President.
He stated that the Conference had been hosted by various institutions across the six geo-political zones of the country, adding that the poise of FUNAAB’s Management for academic and research excellence played the deciding factor in conferring the hosting rights on the University for second time within nine years.
He highlighted the importance of Plant Protection to agriculture and biological sciences in the provision of food and for industrial uses.
“For our society, we shall continue as experts in the field to make recommendations to government on the various ways to ensure that these plants are really protected as the eventual panacea to the national food crisis,” he declared.
Earlier, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of NSPP, Professor A.Y.A Adeoti, appreciated the unflinching support by the Management of FUNAAB, under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, in making the Conference a reality.
Professor Adeoti equally paid glowing tributes to the Founding Fathers of the Society, whom he noted, ensured the advancement in the science of plant protection.
The Conference, which was declared open by the Vice-Chancellor, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Professor Felix Salako, had its theme as “Plant Protection and Public Health”, to highlight the current trends on food security and global environmental challenges.