CEFTER: Benue State University to establish Faculty of Agriculture

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has approved the establishment of Faculty of Agriculture at the Benue State University, (BSU) Makurdi to compliment the Centre for Food Technology and Research (BSU- CEFTER), which was established 10 years ago.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Joe Tor Iorapuu disclosed this during the 10th anniversary celebration of the centre in Makurdi on Thursday.

The BSU-CEFTER is a project funded by the World Bank to address post harvest losses issues and offer post graduate education young people in Africa to also check food security within the region.

According to the vice chancellor, when established, the faculty will assist BSU-CEFTER in it’s food technology innovation, which currently has six mini factories with capacity to produce quality cassava flour products, tomato paste and fabricate food processing equipment.

Iorapuu added that the faculty would offer more admission spaces for aspiring undergraduates, and act as entrepreneurship skills acquisition centre.

He said that offering agriculture and farming as major discipline, will help students to understand food production and management.

“This knowledge adds to student’s exposure and helps them better understand the seasonality of crops, harvesting and transportation.”

He added that when established, the faculty will offer insights into the roles of agriculture in supporting livelihoods through food, habitat, and jobs, provision of raw materials, and in building strong economies.

“Agriculture can help reduce poverty, raise incomes and improve food security for 80% of the world’s poor, who live in rural areas and work mainly in farming,” he added

The vice chancellor acknowledged the contributions of former leaders of the university, which paved the way for the project to succeed, adding that the university would sustain the centre even after the rounding up the world bank funded project.

Iorapuu reaffirmed the university’s commitment to excellence in offering qualitative education, research, and innovation adding that over 30 international students from 10 West and Central African countries are currently studying for postgraduate studies in BSU-CEFTER, assuring that the centre will continue to partner other institutions to ensure food security in Nigeria and in the African continent.

In his remarks, the Director and Centre Leader of BSU-CEFTER, Prof Barnabas Ikyo, expressed commitment to providing sustainable practices to enhance economic development and food security.

He disclosed that CEFTER Foods Nigeria Ltd, a subsidiary, of the centre, has generated over $1 million in revenue over the past decade.

Ikyo added that BSU-CEFTER has supported 11 startups, established food processing industries and have taken the message of food hygiene to refugees and Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, in several Benue communities, supporting them to be self-reliant, among other interventions.