The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Felix Salako, has joined the call on the need for the nation to move away from its overdependence on oil resources and embrace agriculture as a sustainable route to national development.
The vice-chancellor stated this while declaring open the facilitation and communication skills training programme that was organised in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, by the Cassava, Adding Value for Africa II Nigeria Project, for Agricultural Development Programmes’ extension officers and procurement personnel of the large-scale cassava producers.
A statement quoted Salako, whose university hosts CAVA II (Nigeria), as saying, “We have a new generation of extension officers and I hope they are going to be the catalysts that will push the nation forward in terms of using agriculture as an alternative to crude oil export.
“It is dawning on everybody now that we are running into trouble with oil. What may even make oil to be useless is the fact that people are already thinking of alternative sources of energy, even for running cars. The training could not have come at a better time than now.”
“We are confident that the completion of the course will make you better and help in building your capacity to aid effective facilitation and communication with farmers.”
The Country Manager of CAVA II (Nigeria) and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) Designate of FUNAAB, Prof. Lateeef Sanni, was quoted as saying that the supply of raw materials was critical for the survival of large-scale industries, noting that sourcing raw materials of between 250 and 450 tonnes of cassava required a lot of work.
“We are aware that you have different locations where you source raw materials; but at present, there are some issues we have itemised in the last two years – the right quality; the right quantity; and the right time of supply – which should be urgently addressed,” he stated.
By: Anna Okon
Punch News
