Abeokuta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABEOCCIMA) and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) are working on collaborating in the area of agricultural development and academic exchange to reduce rates of unemployment among youths and graduates.
This was disclosed recently when the Chamber paid a courtesy call on the University Management, and was received by the Vice – Chancellor, Professor Kolawole Salako.
The Chamber President, Sir Jare Oyesola who expressed the Chamber’s interest in collaborating with FUNAAB, noting that ABEOCCIMA would be very glad in that regards. He said that there were various avenues where such relationship could work out.
The President however laid emphasis on the preferred areas to forge collaboration with the university such as bird and cow prevention technologies for rice, maize and cassava farms, technologies for harvesting, shelling and processing of melon oil into vegetable oil and packaging for international market, palm kernel oil refinery technology, technologies for the cultivation, harvesting, processing and storage of vegetables, tomatoes and pepper for international market, block chain technology application for industry, academic exchange to improve small scale and medium enterprises, poultry farming to boost youth employability, among others would be relevant in the scheme of things.
The President said, “people including those in the academics are now interested in cocoa farming and working on ways to add value to it rather than exporting cocoa abroad like the mistakes our forefathers made”.
“our poultries are suffering, we now rely majorly on feeds such as corn and soya beans from the north instead of growing locally in the south, from my experience abroad, I realized that Ogun State ought not to be lacking in any farm or agricultural products with the abundance of its arable land and FUNAAB as an institution capable of carrying out research that could help to boost agricultural development, he added.
The President however called on the University Management for a cordial relationship and communication between the academia and business owners so as to strengthen the nation’s economy through active involvement in agricultural activities and to ensure provision of jobs for youths and graduates who are interested in agriculture and its abounding value chains.
Welcoming the delegation, Prof. Salako said, “FUNAAB as an agriculture based institution is always eager to have productive collaborations within the University’s capacity”, adding that the University would be glad to do what’s right and needful”.
On the possible areas of collaboration, the Vice – Chancellor said, “we need a lot of collaboration in the areas of livestock as the University is eager to go into expanding its existing poultry to boost agricultural development and employment.
The University Don while stating security issues as major challenges confronting agricultural activities noted that the issues of insecurities should be addressed holistically as there are lots of people including youth who are ready to diversify into agriculture, but how many of these youths can afford to recruit security men to secure their agricultural investments from encroachment.
The Vice – Chancellor however called on government at all levels to provide enabling environment suitable for agricultural activities, research and ease of doing business.
