The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kolawole Salako has charged Cassava Adding Value for Africa Phase II (CAVA II), Nigeria to make sure that cassava cultivation and processing continue unabated even after rounding-off CAVA.
Professor Salako disclosed this recently, while giving the Opening Address at the CAVA II Nigeria Meeting with Service Providers which was held at the CAVA’sCountry Office, Alumni Building in the University.
Professor Salako stated that the beauty of having the focus on cassava for about 10 years now in Nigeria was that results were coming out, adding that the nation was moving from one achievement to the other. He noted that cassava has gradually become a commercial crop due to persistent research, extension and delivery of the extension results.
Professor Salako, stressed the importance of judicious use of grants, saying that inglorious acts has a negative implication for other prospective applicants. He encouraged the Service Providers to continue to be honest in their day to day activities.
Commenting on Cassava Agronomy and Cassava Weed Management, he challenged the Service Providers also to come up with innovations for sustainable development of cassava. According to him, “Indonesia is getting 50 Tonnes per Hectare and targeting 100 Tonnes per Hectare on cassava while Nigeria is still revolving around 15 Tonnes per Hectare”. He attributed the cause of the problem to excessive spending of time on breeding while advising the breeders to be more sincere in their activities.
Earlier in his Welcome Address, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Professor Lateef Sanni who recalled that some of the Service Providers have been working with his team since 2008, stated that the Justice Development and Peace Movement (JDPM), of the Catholic Church, AMREC, Oyo and Ondo Agricultural Development Programmess (ADP), have been working together as a team . He noted that since 2014 till date, it has expanded and gave rise to Rivers ADP, adding that the former Cassava Desk Officer who was now the Programme Manager, Rivers ADP deserved to be congratulated.
Commenting on the plan for the last lap of the of the CAVA II Project, Professor Sanni who is also the Country Manager for CAVA, said that the Project would be closed not later than March 2019. While commending the Service Providers for their co-operation so far, he implored them to be more transparent during the last lap. His words, “If you are transparent and productive, there are still other people that would put funds on the table for you”.
He, therefore, appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for providing the enabling environment for the meeting to hold.
Service Providers at the meeting were from Ogun State ADP, Oyo State ADP, AMREC – FUNAAB, JDPM, Osun State ADP and Ondo State ADP.
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