Dec. 20, 2025
A Professor of Pedology at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Temitope Seun Babalola, has called for an urgent funding of a national digital soil mapping programme for workable and sound national agricultural development.
Prof. Babalola said a national digital soil mapping programme that would aide in no mean measure in achieving workable policy formulation and implementation as well as handling other interventions in agricultural development was needed urgently to rescue the nation.
This is just as the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, also urged academics to provide selfless mentorship for junior colleagues in order to strengthen the system.
Prof. Babalola, who is a protege of Prof. Fasina, an astute scholar and Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE, gave the advice yesterday while delivering the 21st Inaugural lecture of the University, which he titled: “The Story of Land and Soil: A Pedologist’s Pursuit of Productivity”.
The lecture was held at the new tetfund powered 1000 capacity Hall on the phase two of the main Oye campus of the University.
Asked why he requested an urgent funding of a national digital soil mapping programme for Nigeria, he said: “Such development will definitely guide the policies making process, policy implementing and other germane interventions that relate to meaningful agricultural development.
” Many of our agricultural projects fail as a results of not identifying actual areas where they are supposed to be located.
” A national survey map will identify proper areas and attach those areas to specific practices and interventions that are needed for our system. With it, we will locate where to plant which crop. And not for example, locate an airport where we are supposed to plant crops.
” My advice, especially for the Ministry of Agriculture is that we should start taking soil scientists seriously and start involving them in policy formulation and making, and other germane interventions for that important sector.
” This is because we soil scientists know the story of the land and we should be actively involved in anything that has to do with land in our country”, he said.
While also speaking to newsmen, an enthusiastic Prof. Fasina said he was filled with great joy that one of his products, whom he had trained from undergraduate to doctoral level, was the Inaugural Lecturer, while he is still serving as Vice-Chancellor.
His words: “l feel excited that I have been able to produce myself in the person of Prof. Temitope Seun Babalola. I trained him all through his B.sc, M.sc and Ph.D. He is my product that I am very proud of.
” He is very sound. He had delivered his Inaugural lecture in just 52 minutes, just the same time I did mine over 20 years ago. He has done an excellent job. This is to show that we have just been able to produce ourselves as Professors. If you have not produced a Professor like you in the system, it shows your job as a Professor is not yet completed.
“My advice to my colleagues in the system is that mentoring is key to building the system. And ensure that you produce yourself as you are exiting the system so that it would not appear as if you are selfish, but a true academician and mentor and father. “
While concluding his lecture, Prof. Babalola, who reeled out several cutting edge researches he had accomplished, gave other recommendations for the advancement of knowledge production in the area and also for the meaningful and realistic agricultural growth and development in Nigeria.
His words: ” Prioritization and funding of national Digital soil mapping program for National Agricultural Development: there is a dire need to move from isolated studies to a comprehensive, detailed soil survey of Nigeria.
” This program should produce high resolution, digitally accessible soil maps that detail soil types, properties, and constraints , forming the foundational dataset for all land-use planning; institutionalize land suitability evaluation for policy and governance, make detailed soil and land suitability assessments a mandatory prerequisite for all large-scale agricultural projects, land allocation, and government agricultural subsidies.
” This will prevent misuse of land and guide investment to areas with the highest potentials for success; Translation of Data into simple, profit-Based Tools for Farmer Empowerment and Extension Services: Develop decision-support tools for extension agents and farmers that simplify soil data.
“These tools should provide clear, economic guidance, such as ‘which crop and what inputs will give you the best profit on your specific soil type”, moving beyond complex scientific classifications; Advocate for management practices that respect soil viability; Encourage site-specific management within farms, where fertilizer application, irrigation, and other inputs are tailored to the different soils zones identified through simple soil testing and topographical understanding; integrate Economic Analysis into pedological research for future research innovation, future soil research must systematically incorporate cost-benefit analyses and yield validation.
” The goal should be to develop the proposed “profit-weighted suitability indices” that directly link soil properties to farmer income; intensify research on ameliorating the constraints of marginally suitable (S3) soils, which cover vast areas.
” This includes strategies for breaking plinthite pans, improving water retention in sandy soils , and enhancing soil organic carbon through innovative amendments and cropping systems; Set up permanent soil observatories across the country to monitor changes in soil health, including my carbon stocks, nutrients balanced, and the defects of climate change , enabling adaptive and proactive land management.
” By adopting these recommendations, we can ensure that the story of Nigeria’s soil is one of renewed fertility, sustained productivity, and enduring support for its people. The pursuit of productivity begins with understanding the land, and it is a pursuit we can no longer afford to delay ,” he advised.
Prof Babalola was presented his certificate of substantive Professor of Pedology of the University, and pronounced so by Prof. Fasina, after he handed a copy of his Inuagural lecture to the Vice-Chancellor after delivering his lecture.
The occasion was graced with attendance by dignitaries, that included the nuclear family of the Inaugural Lecturer, his father, siblings, colleagues, associates and friends.
The University management team ably led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina, with other eminent members including the Vice-Chancellor Designate , Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola, who also doubles as the chairman, University ceremonies Committee, (organiser of the programme), University Librarian, and University Bursar, Dr. Bolanle Debo-Ajagunna and the amiable Registrar, Mr. Mufutau lbrahim.
All the deans of the Faculties of the University, led by the chairman, Committee of deans, Prof. Afolabi Babatunde, also added colour to the occasion with their presence.
