MAKURDI: Vice Chancellor (VC), Benue State University, (BSU) Prof. Tor lorapuu, has stated that the institution would soon establish a Faculty of Agriculture, even as the university celebrates the 10th year anniversary of the BSU, Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER).
The VC who made this known during the 10th year anniversary of CEFTER in Makurdi on Thursday, said the institution has already concluded plans to introduce the program at the university.
In his presentation “CEFTER: A Decade of Advancing Post Graduate Education Excellence in Africa”, the Vice Chancellor reaffirmed the school’s commitment to excellence in higher education, research, and innovation, pledging that his team will continue to propel BSU to greater heights.
According to him CEFTER was established a decade ago, to embark on post graduate programs to control post harvest losses in West and Central Africa and to ensure food security and sustainability within the region.
While he noted that the faculty of Agriculture would enhance climate smart agriculture and advance technical development in Benue and the African region, he explained that CEFTER activities conform with the strategic goal of the vision of Governor Hyacinth Alia which is to expand the university as well as support innovative concepts.
Iorpuu who acknowledged the state government for establishing BSU, 32 years ago and provided it with the enabling environment to achieve its desired purpose and philosophy, he said “BSU would start a faculty of Agriculture. The Governor (Alia) has given a matching order that the faculty should commence and soon it will take off.”
The Vice Chancellor further stated that CEFTER has been confirmed to be the regional and global focus of BSU as over 30 foreign students from 10 countries in the West and Central African Region are studying different programs at the Post Graduate level of the University.
He appreciated the World Bank and their collaborators in the execution of projects like the (ACE1 to ACE-IMPACT) including AFD France, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Association of African Universities (AAU) for the opportunity saying the data foundation and advance technology development capabilities CEFTER is a function of the World Bank intervention.
Earlier, a former VC of the University, who also doubled as Chairman of the occasion, Prof Akase Sorkaa, said the center is renowned for imparting high quality education and mentorship to its students, providing them with practicalities as well as preparing them for real life challenges in food technology.
He pointed out that in future, CEFTER would be promoting indigenous foods, climate safe agriculture among others to ensure food security not only in Benue, but in the entire African region.
On his part, the Director and Leader of CEFTER, Prof Barnabas Ikyo, who emphasized that the center, supported by World Bank, was established to among others, train young people in Africa in the control of post harvest losses, adding that the center has admitted a total of 718 students in 10 years while 182 students have so far graduated from the institution.
He said, “Over the years we took the message of basic food hygiene to Benue communities especially the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and the Cameroonian refugees at the refugees camps. Our 10 years has been marked with dedication, resilience and collaboration”
Ikyo promised that the school would continue to innovate and work hard towards achieving set targets and expressed hope that more students from other countries would join the program.
Meanwhile, Prof. Ode Ojowu, a former Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, expressed regrets for over dependence of assistance from the World Bank and other international Financial Agencies by the Federal government to settle economic issues.
Ojowu who noted that by 2025, sponsors of CEFTER would withdraw from the project, urged the state and federal governments to rise up to their responsibilities of ensuring that the project was sustained.
Meanwhile, the Och’Idoma, HRM, Chief John Elaigwu Odogbo, called on the federal and state governments to work towards tackling food challenges bedeviling the nation.
Represented by the Ad’Otu of Obi, Chief Chris Ijale, the Och’Idoma commended the management of BSU for their achievements through the center urging them to keep up the good work.
