UNN to revamp moribund Agric Farms

Benjamin Ozumba, vice chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka, has promised to revamp moribund Agricultural Farms in the institution.

Ozumba said that many of the farms are already leading to the production of cassava flours, poultry, fish, cash crops including improved variety of breadfruits in commercial quantity.

The VC, who dropped the University plan for economic development through commercial agriculture at the pre-convocation press conference of the 47th UNN convocation at the Enugu campus, said his administration would also place high priority on the development of infrastructure in all the campuses.

“Our apex position in the webmetric ranking of Nigerian Universities, based on creative output has not been faulted,” he noted.

He explained that in line with the vision of the founder of the University, the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, in 1960, which is to excel in science and innovation, the university has recorded some breakthroughs in science and technological innovations in the last one year, including the roll out of brand new laptop computers in her Laptop Assembly Plant at Nsukka campus.‪

He also disclosed that à Chinese Academy, Quangxi, has accepted to take over 30 doctoral students from the University even as Michigan State University, which left the Institution at the wake of the civil war, is now back.

‪”Barely one year after we launched ‘Roar Nigeria Hub’, a pilot version of our dream Science Park, five innovation groups are already under mentorship,‪” he said.

“We are determined to take it further by mapping out about 45.9 hectares of land for the full-fledged Science Park Project which is expected to attract over 400 companies scouting for research and innovations from the university.‪

The Park will be Nigeria’s version of Silicon Valley, where innovation will be hatched, nurtured and commercialised,” the Vice Chancellor said.

 

Regis Anukwuoji, Enugu