The Ibrahim Babangida University is in partnership with the Federal University of Technology Minna in the World Bank-funded high-impact Africa Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxin and Food Safety. The aim of the Africa Center of Excellence (ACE) for Mycotoxin and Food Safety is to create learning opportunities and research results to address Africa’s shortage of expertise and applicable solutions to ensure a safe, controlled and sufficient food supply that will support economic growth and public health. The Education objective of the ACE is to create an interdisciplinary, experiential education model that will prepare a cadre of future leaders focused on the rapidly emerging need for innovations at the nexus of food security, food safety, agricultural productivity and economics from local to global scales. The Research objectives of the ACE are to foster impactful interdisciplinary research and to implement solutions that improve the quality of life of Africans through fit-for-purpose interventions fostering economic growth and access to sufficient safe food for all. These objectives address the five sustainable development goals of poverty reduction, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, and quality education, and gender equality by 2030.
Other partner institutions in the Centre of Excellence include Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Abuja; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; University for Development Studies, Ghana; University of Tillaberi, Niger Republic; University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; University of ABOBO-ADJAME, bidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos; University of Kinshasa, DRC; The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM- AIST) and North West University, Mafikeng, South Africa. International Scientific Advisory Board for the Centre is made up of Prof. Patrick BerekNjobeh, University of Johannesburg, South Africa; Dr. Habiba Hassan Aly Hassan, National Research Center, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Cairo – Egypt; Dr. William Kimutai Maritim, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries & Irrigation. Nairobi- Kenya; Prof. NaginbhaiChandubhai Patel, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat State, India; Prof. OdemariMbuya, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee – USA; Dr. Janie Dubois, International Food Safety Training Laboratory, University of Maryland, USA and Prof Serah de Saegar, Ghent University, Belgium.
Associate Professor Dickson Achimugu Musa of Biochemistry Department is the IBBU research representative on partnership. Ms. Salamatu Ibrahim Kolo of the Department of Food Science and Technology, who had indicated interest in becoming an expert in Food Safety and requested mentoring has been coopted as a mentee in the Centre research. The Centre has established a platform on which she and other young academics of IBB University will benefit from future training opportunities of the ACE in the field of Food Safety.
IBB University through Dr. Dickson Achimugu Musa, will be responsible for
1. Student Recruitment for the ACE
2. Mounting a Sentinel Laboratory for Central and West Africa
3. Hosting Student Interns
4. Supervision of graduate dissertation and theses
5. Joint Research Grant application
6. Joint Publication/patent
7. Organize Joint workshops and conferences
8. Research collaborations on:
a. Genomic surveillance of fungi using molecular based techniques, and proteomic and metabolomics for identification of novel fungi in the entire value chain from farm to fork of the most consumed and economically valuable crops and their food and feed products (/.e. maize, rice, sorghum, millet, wheat, soybean, cassava, sesame, groundnut, animal feed, livestock products including milk, fish and egg, fruits and vegetables) in Central and West African regions.
b. Mycotoxins analysis using LC/MS/MS, HPLC and GC/MS in the entire value chain from farm to fork of the most consumed and economically valuable crops and their food and feed products (/.e. maize, rice, sorghum, millet, wheat, soybean, cassava, sesame, groundnut, animal feed, livestock products including milk, fish and egg, fruits and vegetables) in Central and West African regions
c. Biocontrol of fungi and mycotoxins: through identification of fungi antagonist and endophytes that will eliminate fungi from crops and improve host resistance to pests in the field
d. Surveillance of chemical residues in selected staples and for HCN in cassava products to support elaboration of regional standard by CODEX Alimentarius
Arrangements are being made for IBB University and the FUT Minna to sign an MOU/MOA on the partnership.
Recent Comments