Waku inaugurates FUTA’s commercial farming

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The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) on Monday commenced commercial farming with the flag-off by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University Senator Joseph Waku.

During the inauguration, the Chairman expressed optimism that it would not only contribute to fight against hunger around FUTA and Akure environs, but also boost the internally generated revenue of the Institution.

Waku said FUTA had demonstrated its relevance to the society by taking its rightful position through aggressive agricultural production for neighboring communities and generating more revenue for the Institution.

He also said through the exercise, peasant farmers would be educated on mechanized farming.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Joseph Fuwape expressed his gratitude to the Council for approving the proposal to commercialize farming on campus, adding that because of the nature of the project and the enormous funds required, the Management had resolved to initiate collaboration with stakeholders within and outside the University in view of which cooperative societies were invited to partner with the University.

Corroborating the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor [Development], Prof. Philip Oguntunde said in order to run the project independently and to be able to meet up with the financial requirement, all Cooperatives on Campus are involved.

The farm is on 15 hectares of land and would involve crop farming, hatchery, fishery and livestock production.

Also speaking, the Dean of School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology [SAAT], Prof. Taiwo Amos assured Waku and the University Management that the project would be properly managed under the watch of the University’s Teaching and Research Farm to meet the expectations of the University and other stakeholders.

The Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Joseph Waku,  Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Fuwape and Dean, SAAT, Prof. Taiwo Amos symbolise maize planting with the University’s mechanical maize planter, which is capable of planting and applying fertilizer to the crop simultaneously.

To manage the project, Management has appointed Dr. O. P. Aiyelari as Acting General Manager, Farm Services Limited and Dr. S. O. Aro as Coordinator, Livestock Unit of the Farm Services Limited.

Present at the event were members of the University Governing Council led by the Chairman, Senator Joseph Waku, FUTA Management and staff of the Teaching and Research Farm

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