The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to work jointly with the University of Ilorin to utilize a 15,000 hectare of landmass the university has put aside for agricultural purpose as part of the N-Power agribusiness empowerment.
The Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Job Creation and Youth Employment, Mohammed Brimah, made this known at the opening of the N-Power Business Ventures Farm in the school.
Brimah, who illustrated the project as an excellent Social Investment Programme (SIP), said the Federal Government was confident that the alliance with the University will encourage the initiatives derived from the N-Power beneficiaries
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulkareem Age, in his remark said that the institution decided to treat the President’s agricultural policy with great importance, and with that in mind, more hectares of land will be allocated for farming.
The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by his Deputy, Mikhali Buhari, reported that the university as set aside an average of 12 hectares of land for agricultural use by two different agric institution in partnership with the school.
An Alumni of the University explained the N-Power scheme as a programme designed to run for two years each beneficiary.
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He stated, since inception, the initiative had catered for huge numbers of youth, and currently has over 520,000 beneficiaries across the country.
Also at the event, head of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kwara State Chapter, Olusegun Adeyemi, advised the management of the University to take the partnership seriously.
Adeyemi, who is also an alumnus of the school, said the university can as well push the partnership further by making available farm settlements for the N-Power farmers that are making use of the University Campus.
It can be recalled in 2018, the University of Ilorin, in line with the Federal Government’s effort in making Nigeria a food basket of Sub-Saharan Africa, set aside 5,000 hectares of landmass to interested staff and students for commercial farming.
