The Rural Development Programme (RUDEP) of Justice Development and Peace Movement, Catholic Diocese of Oyo paid a courtesy visit to the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) and Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State. The team was led by the Head of Department (HOD), Mr. Anthony Ogunnupebi on the mission of strengthening the cordial relationship between the organization and research institutes in the area of sustainable agriculture. At FRIN, Jericho, Ibadan, the team was received by the HOD, Forest Economy and Extension, Prof Iduma who commended the gestures of JDPM Oyo towards raising sane environmental consciousness and preservation of ecological system in the state. According to Prof Iduma, “FRIN was established as Federal Department of Forestry Research in 1954. The Institute’s Decree 35 of 1973 and order establishing Research Institute of 1977 changed the status of the Department to an institute being supervised by the Federal Ministry of Environment, but the only Research Institute of the Ministry”.
The team toured around various departments such as the Pathology section where mushroom cultivation technology takes place, Grass cutter Domestication and Multiplication Research Unit where grass cutters, rabbits and snails are being managed. Similarly, the team also met with Dr. Lawal at the Bio-medicinal Research Centre where alternative medicine through herbal and spices are being thoroughly worked on. At the Sustainable Forest Management Department, Dr. Joyce Amadi explained the various uses of ornamental plants and how they can improve the nation’s GDP and farmers’ standard of living. The RUDEP team also met with the Executive Director of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Idi-Ayunre, Ibadan, Dr. Patrick Oyebola where management and staff of the organization disclosed that the organization mandate is on; cocoa, cashew, coffee, Kola and tea. His words, “The Institute has six (6) substations located in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria where these crops are cultivated in abundance. Over the years, the Institute has recorded breakthroughs in research work that enhanced the production and utilization of products and by-products of the mandate crops”.
