TORIMIRO Dixon Olutade
Professor Dixon Olutade Torimiro, a Nigeria’s Federal Government Scholar, obtained an Ordinary Diploma in General Agriculture from the School of Agriculture, Akure. He had a B. Agric. (Hons.) from the Ogun State University, Ago -Iwoye, M. Sc. and Ph. D. from the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He was a member of College of Research Associates, United Nations University’s Institute of Natural Resources in Africa (CRA/UNUINRA), Ghana in 2002 and Laureate of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa’s (CODESRIA’s) Child and Youth Studies Institute-2004. He rose through the ranks to the position of Professor of Agricultural Extension & Rural Sociology with effect from 2009 and served as acting Head, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development (2006-2008); and Pre-degree Programme Coordinator, Centre for Distance Learning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Moro Campus (2017-date). Professor Torimiro also held teaching and/or research positions in Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Crawford University, Igbesa and University of Botswana’s College of Agriculture, Gaborone. He was a Visiting Professor to Cape Breton University, Canada as IDRC Scientist in 2013 and also a Visiting Professor to North West University, South Africa, as ECOWAS-AAU Fellow in 2016. He is a Co-initiator and former President of the International Research and Development Network of Children and Youth in Agriculture Programme (CYIAP- Network) in Nigeria. He is a pioneer member of University of Glasgow’s Strategic Network for Sustainable Future in Africa (SFA), UK, inaugurated in the University of Botswana in 2017. His participation at the German Government’s sponsored 21st International Training for Rural Youth Leaders held in 2002, at the Bavarian Farmers’ Union Training Centre in Herrsching, Germany under the patronship of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) led to the initiation of the African Centre for Rural Youth Empowerment (ACRYE) – his action plan for Nigeria. He is the Chairman, Board of trustees of the Centre. He has both singularly and collaboratively won a good number of highly competitive grants from national and international institutions such as CODESRIA, OAURC, AAU/DFID, IDRC, ESRC. He had consultancy experiences with the World Bank, AAU, CCARDESA, JDPC and with Ondo State Government of Nigeria.
He belongs to a good number of local and international professional associations, among which are the Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON), Rural Sociological Association of Nigeria (RuSAN), International Rural Network (IRN), Scotland, Union for African Population Studies, Tanzania, Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), Switzerland and a member of the Research Board of Advisors of the American Biographical Institute, Raleigh, USA. He has successfully supervised and mentored many graduate students. Professor Torimiro has served as External Examiner and assessor of professorial candidates for many universities within and outside Nigeria. These Universities include: North West University, Mafikeng, South Africa, University of Swaziland, University of Ibadan, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, University of Ilorin, Federal University of Technology, Akure, University of Benin, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Ekiti State University, Osun State University, Ejigbo campus and Tai Solarin University of Education. He is on the editorial board of and reviewer to some local and international academic Journals. He has attended many learned conferences locally and internationally. He has published over 120 articles including journals, books and chapter in books related to extension and rural sociology in reputable local and international academic outlets. Professor Torimiro has a very good experience in grantsmanship, academic mentorship, performance management system, guardian and counseling.