As part of efforts to ensure food sufficiency, the Kwara State Polytechnic on Thursday harvested 25 tonnes of maize from the institution’s commercial farm.
Fielding questions from journalists at the farm, Abdul Jimoh Mohammed, the rector of the polytechnic, said a total of 20 hectares of land, with 10 hectares for phase two of the farm project were cultivated.
The farm activities, according to him, was carried out by the Department of Agricultural Technology, Department of Agric Engineering and bio Environmental, and students.
Mohammed said the farm yield would be beneficial to all and as well shore up thr Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), for the institution.
He revealed that the instruction expended about N10,000,000 for clearing of the land and about N3,000,000 for purchase of the seedlings and cassava stems.
The rector said, “We embarked on this farm project to give back to the society and as well compliment the state government efforts in ensuring food security.
“We began by engaging in commercial farming, we deploy this initiative to reduce the vacant land, discourage encroachment, and make food available and affordable to the members of the polytechnic and Kwarans at large.
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“We started by cultivating 20 hectares, although we initially cleared 10 hectares and another 10 hectares later with the planting of cassava and maize. We will also plant Soya beans later towards the end of the rainy season as advised.
“Come next rainy season, the management is planning to cultivate another 20 hectares and we are also considering giving an opportunity to the members of the public who may be interested in leasing a space for farming.
“Although, we are still working on modality for this arrangement, and the management will forward whatever modality we agreed on to the Executive Governor who has been encouraging us on this initiative through our supervising Ministry.
“With the efforts of the management and support of Ministry of Tertiary Institution, we have been able to reduce the level of encroachment through the initiative of farming. So today, we are harvesting our first farm produce and believe it necessary to make it public,” he said.
Mary Arinde, the Kwara State commissioner of tertiary institutions, represented at the event by Rodhiat Omotayo Yahya, director, Research and Development in the ministry, commended the institution’s initiative.
“The idea of using virgin land to firm is a welcome development as there crave for food everywhere. For sure, this would go a long way to solve the crisis of food shortage in the state and beyond.”
For her part, Ruth Modupe Bayero, the farm manager who is also a director of the institute of technology, appreciated the rector and institution for their support to overcome challenges faced by her committee.
She disclosed that they targeted 180 metric tons of cassava and the project would be a continuous engagement.
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