The Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), Katsina, has distributed 4.2 million tree seedlings to farmers in the state in the last three years, Prof. Idris Isa, the Vice-Chancellor, has said.
Isa made this known on Saturday in Katsina during the 3rd convocation ceremony of the university.
He said that the tree seedlings were produced through 344 private nurseries in the state.
Isa said that this was part of the university’s efforts to control desert encroachment in the state.
According to him, 8,460 farmers were also trained on nursery practices and agro-forestry management by the university.
Isa said that the project was under the European Union (EU) Grant Project coordinated by the Energy Centre on Sustainable Development of Farm Agro-forestry and Fuel Wood Conservation System.
He said that the university had trained 1,000 women and youths on processing of tree fruits.
The vice-chancellor said that the centre for renewable energy in the university was one of the leading centres in the area of competency certification of solar energy in the country.
“We are also leading in solar photo voltaic installation supervision under the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP),’’ Isa said.
He said that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture was constructing an Agribusiness Incubation Centre in the university with provision of tomato processing lines for paste and juice, and training facilities.
Also, the Pro-chancellor of the university, Amb. Zakari Ibrahim, urged graduates of the institution to be good ambassadors wherever they might find themselves.
Ibrahim commended the Federal Government, Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Tertiary Institutions Trust Fund (TETFUND) and the National Communication Commission (NUC) for their support to the university.
1,397 graduating students were presented with degrees, out of which, 107 were post-graduates.
Nine students graduated with First Class degrees, 300, Second Class Upper, 639 had Second Class Lower, 316 Third Class and 26 had pass degrees.
There were also two PhDs and 105 Masters Degrees students. (NAN)
