The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka recently took a step toward boosting food security in the country when it held a flag off ceremony for the 2013 harvest season in the University. The Faculty usually engages its fourth year students in practical farming in the Nsukka campus of the University in order to make them accomplished farmers upon graduation.
Speaking during the flag off ceremony for this year’s harvest, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bartho N. Okolo, who was represented by the Ag. Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. A. A. Ubachukwu, commended the faculty of Agriculture for bouncing back to the things they were known for. He said “The faculty is getting back to its lost glory in food production”.
Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Simeon O Ugwu explained that various crops such as garden eggs, maize, cassava, seed yams were grown on the practical farm, stating that some of them were ready for harvest. Among the crops harvested were maize and garden eggs.
Prof. Ugwu lauded the efforts of the Chairman, Agriculture Productivity Committee of the faculty, Dr. C. U. Agbo and other members of the committee as well as the Coordinator of the fourth year programme, Dr. S. C. Eze.
He added that food security could only be guaranteed when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
In his own contribution, Dr. Austin Ani of the Department of Animal Science remarked that the new effort in reviving agriculture is indeed a welcome idea. He extolled the Dean for his determination to revive not only crop production but also animal production in the faculty. He remarked that if the land was put into full use, there would be guaranteed food security for the university community as well as revenue for the university.
In addition, the Farm Manager, Farm Operations Department, Mr. Chika Abacha Kanu said that the success of today’s event would encourage the fourth year students to work harder and give them a sense of belonging as their effort was being recognized.
Mr. Kanu appealed to the University administration to come to their aid by assisting them with manpower and electricity. He pointed out that without adequate manpower, output will be low.
It would be recalled that UNN was established as a land grant university. The aim was not only to provide food for its immediate community but also to the external public.
Highpoint of the occasion was the plucking of a maize cob by the Vice-Chancellor and subsequent eating of both cooked and roasted maize.
