Professor Olubukola Oluranti BABALOLA Pr.Sci.Nat., MASSAF, FASLP, FTWAS, FAS, the Vice President of OWSD, is an NRF rated scientist with over 20 years of research experience focusing on rhizosphere metagenomics, coupled with an MBA in General Management. She has consistently advocated using biofertilizers over & above chemical fertilizers for plant health management. Her effort for SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” in the continent of Africa for food security & sustainable agriculture is helping farmers, women, & all food lovers. She is the incumbent Research Director of the Food Security & Safety Focus Area at NWU. Her laboratory attracts students from worldwide. Olubukola is a member of the editorial board for Applied and Environmental Microbiology (American Society for Microbiology, USA), BMC Microbiology (Elsevier), and Biochemistry & Biophysics Reports (Elsevier). She has received many awards, including being the finalist, GenderInSite 2020. She is passionate about capacity building &has graduated 26 doctoral fellows, 24 masters, and numerous Honors students. Olubukola is a prolific author with about 300 publications. Her most recent Springer edited book is entitled “Food Security and Safety: Africa’s Perspective.” She is an AAAS-TWAS Science diplomacy alumnus, impacting the world after the eye-opening awareness of policymaking, diplomacy, and diplomatic engagement. She is now taking action using the gender lens and forging collaborations with diplomats. She is a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF), and the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS). Her wealth of international experience spans the universe. She enjoys international collaborations, research grants, and many awards.Dr. Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro is a postdoctoral fellow at North-West University, South Africa. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria and his PhD from North-West University. He is a recipient of NRF/TWAS 2016 Doctoral fellowship Award. His research interests include the ecology of soil microorganism and recycling of nutrients, and plant-microbe interactions. Ayansina has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed journal articles published in reputable national and international journals. He is a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions and the Society for Applied Microbiology.Dr. Omena Bernard Ojuederie is a seasoned researcher and academic with plant genetics and biotechnology expertise. His research focuses on biodiversity assessment and phylogenetic studies of underutilized crops, plant tissue culture, molecular biology, plant-microbe interactions, and improving food security in Africa. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Underutilized Legumes and a grantee of the International Foundation for Science (IFS) Sweden. He was a postdoctoral research fellow and currentlyan Extraordinary Senior Lecturer of the Food Security and Safety Focus Area, North-West University, South Africa. In addition, he is a Senior Lecturer in the Biotechnology Unit of the Department of Biological Sciences, Kings University, Nigeria, where he also serves as the Acting. Director of Research and Linkages and Acting Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.

• 1-The potential of resistant starch type 1 for nutritional food security.- 2-Evaluation of bioaccumulation of heavy metals in some fish species from the rice farms’ channels of Pouss (Far-North, Cameroon).- 3-Evaluation of the levels of nine heavy metals in five crops using AAS and XRF.- 4-The role of food in the health management of geriatrics.- 5-Genetically modified crops: perspectives and safety concerns in Africa.- 6-Indigenous leafy vegetables and health management in South Western Nigeria: A review based on Osun State.- 7-Combined application of subsurface drainage and fertilization, a method to reduce the effects of iron and sulfide toxicities in irrigated rice fields in Burkina Faso.- 8-Is food medicine? Lessons from a household survey on plants used to manage anaemia in Kilifi County, Kenya.- 9-Plantain bioactives: An underutilised food resource in Africa.- 10-New perspectives in the utilization of African leafy vegetables.- 11-The uptake of farming technological innovationsfor food security in Kejom Ketinguh of the North West region of Cameroon. A contribution to anthropology of food production.- 12-Food and nutrition insecurity in Africa: The primary drivers and sustainable strategies to improve the current status.- 13-Marker-assisted selection (MAS): Untapped potential for enhancing food and nutrition securities in Sub Saharan Africa.- 14-Harnessing the opportunities for sustainable small-scale rural farming towards attaining food security in Southern Africa.- 15-Improving food security in Africa through sustainable utilization of selected climate smart emerging crops: A case of Botswana and Namibia.- 16-Essentials of nutraceuticals and probiotics.- 17-Phenotypic characterisation of nine accessions of okra.- 18-Long-term restorative farming effects on soil biological properties for carbon stock, soil quality and yield in a Nigerian northern guinea savanna alfisols.- 19-Climate change: impact on food security for health management and its adaptation strategies for sustainability among households in Southeast, Nigeria.- 20-Climate change, growth in agriculture value added, food availability and economic growth nexus in the Gambia: A Granger causality and ARDL modeling approach.- 21-Adoption of genomics and breeding strategies to improve goat productivity in Southern Africa.

Professor Olubukola Oluranti BABALOLA Pr.Sci.Nat., MASSAF, FASLP, FTWAS, FAS, the Vice President of OWSD, is an NRF rated scientist with over 20 years of research experience focusing on rhizosphere metagenomics, coupled with an MBA in General Management. She has consistently advocated using biofertilizers over & above chemical fertilizers for plant health management. Her effort for SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” in the continent of Africa for food security & sustainable agriculture is helping farmers, women, & all food lovers. She is the incumbent Research Director of the Food Security & Safety Focus Area at NWU. Her laboratory attracts students from worldwide. Olubukola is a member of the editorial board for Applied and Environmental Microbiology (American Society for Microbiology, USA), BMC Microbiology (Elsevier), and Biochemistry & Biophysics Reports (Elsevier). She has received many awards, including being the finalist, GenderInSite 2020. She is passionate about capacity building &has graduated 26 doctoral fellows, 24 masters, and numerous Honors students. Olubukola is a prolific author with about 300 publications. Her most recent Springer edited book is entitled “Food Security and Safety: Africa’s Perspective.” She is an AAAS-TWAS Science diplomacy alumnus, impacting the world after the eye-opening awareness of policymaking, diplomacy, and diplomatic engagement. She is now taking action using the gender lens and forging collaborations with diplomats. She is a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF), and the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS). Her wealth of international experience spans the universe. She enjoys international collaborations, research grants, and many awards.Dr. Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro is a postdoctoral fellow at North-West University, South Africa. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria and his PhD from North-West University. He is a recipient of NRF/TWAS 2016 Doctoral fellowship Award. His research interests include the ecology of soil microorganism and recycling of nutrients, and plant-microbe interactions. Ayansina has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed journal articles published in reputable national and international journals. He is a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions and the Society for Applied Microbiology.Dr. Omena Bernard Ojuederie is a seasoned researcher and academic with plant genetics and biotechnology expertise. His research focuses on biodiversity assessment and phylogenetic studies of underutilized crops, plant tissue culture, molecular biology, plant-microbe interactions, and improving food security in Africa. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Underutilized Legumes and a grantee of the International Foundation for Science (IFS) Sweden. He was a postdoctoral research fellow and currentlyan Extraordinary Senior Lecturer of the Food Security and Safety Focus Area, North-West University, South Africa. In addition, he is a Senior Lecturer in the Biotechnology Unit of the Department of Biological Sciences, Kings University, Nigeria, where he also serves as the Acting. Director of Research and Linkages and Acting Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.

• 1-The potential of resistant starch type 1 for nutritional food security.- 2-Evaluation of bioaccumulation of heavy metals in some fish species from the rice farms’ channels of Pouss (Far-North, Cameroon).- 3-Evaluation of the levels of nine heavy metals in five crops using AAS and XRF.- 4-The role of food in the health management of geriatrics.- 5-Genetically modified crops: perspectives and safety concerns in Africa.- 6-Indigenous leafy vegetables and health management in South Western Nigeria: A review based on Osun State.- 7-Combined application of subsurface drainage and fertilization, a method to reduce the effects of iron and sulfide toxicities in irrigated rice fields in Burkina Faso.- 8-Is food medicine? Lessons from a household survey on plants used to manage anaemia in Kilifi County, Kenya.- 9-Plantain bioactives: An underutilised food resource in Africa.- 10-New perspectives in the utilization of African leafy vegetables.- 11-The uptake of farming technological innovationsfor food security in Kejom Ketinguh of the North West region of Cameroon. A contribution to anthropology of food production.- 12-Food and nutrition insecurity in Africa: The primary drivers and sustainable strategies to improve the current status.- 13-Marker-assisted selection (MAS): Untapped potential for enhancing food and nutrition securities in Sub Saharan Africa.- 14-Harnessing the opportunities for sustainable small-scale rural farming towards attaining food security in Southern Africa.- 15-Improving food security in Africa through sustainable utilization of selected climate smart emerging crops: A case of Botswana and Namibia.- 16-Essentials of nutraceuticals and probiotics.- 17-Phenotypic characterisation of nine accessions of okra.- 18-Long-term restorative farming effects on soil biological properties for carbon stock, soil quality and yield in a Nigerian northern guinea savanna alfisols.- 19-Climate change: impact on food security for health management and its adaptation strategies for sustainability among households in Southeast, Nigeria.- 20-Climate change, growth in agriculture value added, food availability and economic growth nexus in the Gambia: A Granger causality and ARDL modeling approach.- 21-Adoption of genomics and breeding strategies to improve goat productivity in Southern Africa.

Professor Olubukola Oluranti BABALOLA Pr.Sci.Nat., MASSAF, FASLP, FTWAS, FAS, the Vice President of OWSD, is an NRF rated scientist with over 20 years of research experience focusing on rhizosphere metagenomics, coupled with an MBA in General Management. She has consistently advocated using biofertilizers over & above chemical fertilizers for plant health management. Her effort for SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” in the continent of Africa for food security & sustainable agriculture is helping farmers, women, & all food lovers. She is the incumbent Research Director of the Food Security & Safety Focus Area at NWU. Her laboratory attracts students from worldwide. Olubukola is a member of the editorial board for Applied and Environmental Microbiology (American Society for Microbiology, USA), BMC Microbiology (Elsevier), and Biochemistry & Biophysics Reports (Elsevier). She has received many awards, including being the finalist, GenderInSite 2020. She is passionate about capacity building &has graduated 26 doctoral fellows, 24 masters, and numerous Honors students. Olubukola is a prolific author with about 300 publications. Her most recent Springer edited book is entitled “Food Security and Safety: Africa’s Perspective.” She is an AAAS-TWAS Science diplomacy alumnus, impacting the world after the eye-opening awareness of policymaking, diplomacy, and diplomatic engagement. She is now taking action using the gender lens and forging collaborations with diplomats. She is a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF), and the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS). Her wealth of international experience spans the universe. She enjoys international collaborations, research grants, and many awards.Dr. Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro is a postdoctoral fellow at North-West University, South Africa. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria and his PhD from North-West University. He is a recipient of NRF/TWAS 2016 Doctoral fellowship Award. His research interests include the ecology of soil microorganism and recycling of nutrients, and plant-microbe interactions. Ayansina has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed journal articles published in reputable national and international journals. He is a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions and the Society for Applied Microbiology.Dr. Omena Bernard Ojuederie is a seasoned researcher and academic with plant genetics and biotechnology expertise. His research focuses on biodiversity assessment and phylogenetic studies of underutilized crops, plant tissue culture, molecular biology, plant-microbe interactions, and improving food security in Africa. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Underutilized Legumes and a grantee of the International Foundation for Science (IFS) Sweden. He was a postdoctoral research fellow and currentlyan Extraordinary Senior Lecturer of the Food Security and Safety Focus Area, North-West University, South Africa. In addition, he is a Senior Lecturer in the Biotechnology Unit of the Department of Biological Sciences, Kings University, Nigeria, where he also serves as the Acting. Director of Research and Linkages and Acting Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.

• 1-The potential of resistant starch type 1 for nutritional food security.- 2-Evaluation of bioaccumulation of heavy metals in some fish species from the rice farms’ channels of Pouss (Far-North, Cameroon).- 3-Evaluation of the levels of nine heavy metals in five crops using AAS and XRF.- 4-The role of food in the health management of geriatrics.- 5-Genetically modified crops: perspectives and safety concerns in Africa.- 6-Indigenous leafy vegetables and health management in South Western Nigeria: A review based on Osun State.- 7-Combined application of subsurface drainage and fertilization, a method to reduce the effects of iron and sulfide toxicities in irrigated rice fields in Burkina Faso.- 8-Is food medicine? Lessons from a household survey on plants used to manage anaemia in Kilifi County, Kenya.- 9-Plantain bioactives: An underutilised food resource in Africa.- 10-New perspectives in the utilization of African leafy vegetables.- 11-The uptake of farming technological innovationsfor food security in Kejom Ketinguh of the North West region of Cameroon. A contribution to anthropology of food production.- 12-Food and nutrition insecurity in Africa: The primary drivers and sustainable strategies to improve the current status.- 13-Marker-assisted selection (MAS): Untapped potential for enhancing food and nutrition securities in Sub Saharan Africa.- 14-Harnessing the opportunities for sustainable small-scale rural farming towards attaining food security in Southern Africa.- 15-Improving food security in Africa through sustainable utilization of selected climate smart emerging crops: A case of Botswana and Namibia.- 16-Essentials of nutraceuticals and probiotics.- 17-Phenotypic characterisation of nine accessions of okra.- 18-Long-term restorative farming effects on soil biological properties for carbon stock, soil quality and yield in a Nigerian northern guinea savanna alfisols.- 19-Climate change: impact on food security for health management and its adaptation strategies for sustainability among households in Southeast, Nigeria.- 20-Climate change, growth in agriculture value added, food availability and economic growth nexus in the Gambia: A Granger causality and ARDL modeling approach.- 21-Adoption of genomics and breeding strategies to improve goat productivity in Southern Africa.