Agribusiness
Unilorin launches app to curb crop wastage, boost food security
Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, on Monday lauded the KasuwaGo app developed by a research group led by Dr. Toyin Ajibade of the Faculty of Agriculture.
Abdulkareem who spoke during the KasuwaGo app launch held at the university described the app as a great achievement for the institution.
The National Daily reports that the app, which was developed in Sept. 2019, was specifically made to facilitate the buying and selling of farm produce.
The Vice-Chancellor, represented by Prof. Bolaji Sule, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), said the app would also curb wastage of farm produce and boost food security.
Abdulkareem said that the invention of such application was a great innovation that would aid the rural farmers to earn more from their farm produce and avoid food wastage in the society.
In his welcome address, Prof. Gbolagade Adesiji, the Acting Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, described the application as a milestone of research.
Adesiji said it was capable of empowering the youth to make a living from produce buying and selling without stress.
The Lead Researcher of the KasuwaGo app, Ajibade, said that the app was developed in response to conversations with farmers and customers
She said the app was specifically made to achieve stress-free buying and selling of farm produce.
Ajibade restated that the KasuwaGo application was created to assist farmers to find markets for their goods and also create avenues for sellers seeking easier connections to suppliers and customers.
The don thanked the U.S. Agency for International Development under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research for assistance in making the app a reality.
Ajibade also thanked the Venture Garden Group, Michigan State University, Centre for Dry Land Agriculture, and the management of the University of Ilorin for their support.
The Kwara State Commissioner for Enterprise, Hajiya Arionla Lawal, in her speech, said that the KasuwaGo application was essential for a sustainable economy.
Also in their remarks, two US-based research partners Prof. Maredia Mywish and Dr. Michael Olabisi, described the application as a beautiful outcome.
They said that the COVID-19 pandemic brought about the development of the app to aid farmers to showcase their farm produce and prevent spoilage due to lack of storage facilities.