By Jimoh Hammed.
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has reorganised the farm practical training given to students pursing Bachelor of Agriculture in the University.
The training, which is usually given to students from College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM), College of Plant Science (COPLANT) and College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD) is a brainchild of the Centre for Community Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS), off-campus, has been running since the establishment
of the scheme in 2010.
Senate of the institution had agreed in its 206th statutory meeting that students would not only be deployed to four rural communities in Ogun state – Isaga-Orile in Egba zone, Odogbolu in Ijebu zone, Odelemo in Remo zone and Iwoye-Ketu in the Yewa zone – for the exercise, but also have an on-campus training henceforth.
Speaking during the orientation for participants, the Director of COBFAS, Professor Fakoya Emmanuel, said the programme was restructured “to integrate agricultural students into local community production system and rural working conditions for proper understanding of rural environments and also give the students the opportunity to benefit from the infrastructure for practical training during the on-campus session”.
Commenting on the efficacy of the restructuring, Mr. Olajide Ojo, the Farm Manager coordinating the livestock enterprise of the on-campus session, said any student that passed through the programme is expected to stand on his own and be an employer of labour upon graduation.
Olajide said: we want to groom self-sustaining students that are not only certificated but educated, and well-grounded in the field of Animal and Crop Science”.
Adebayo Oloyede, a student undergoing the training, said: “The school meant well for us by restructuring the programme. This will reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. “
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