Last Updated on February 13, 2014 by admin

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) of the University, Professor Felix Salako, has advised students of the institution, undergoing the Farm Practical Year (FPY), to respect the host communities, to avoid creating unnecessary hostilities that may adversely affect their participation in the programme.

Professor Salako gave this piece of advice during the orientation programme, organised for FPY students for the 2013/2014 Academic Session, as he also enjoined them to put in more efforts in their studies, in order to have good results at the end of the day. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) disclosed that the University was already thinking of how to increase the number of host communities, to make the scheme more impactful.

The Director of the Community-Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS), Professor Emmanuel Fakoya, noted that the FPY programme was established in December 2010, to expose Bachelor of Agriculture students to the practical aspect of agriculture. Other objectives include fostering the Town and the Gown relationship as well as sustaining interest in engaging in agriculture.

Professor Fakoya appealed to students from the various Colleges that will be participating in the programme to be law abiding and obedient in their respective communities, namely: Ishaga-Orile, Iwoye-Ketu, Odogbolu and Ode-Lemo.

Prior to the movement of the students, COBFAS had organised an orientation programme with specific instructions in the areas of pre-departure instructions, departure and living in communities, among others.

During the presentations given at the orientation programme, the Director, Health Services, Dr Olusola Talabi, cautioned the students to refrain from self-medication, wear proper kits, eat balanced diet and maintain good personal hygiene while the Dean, Student Affairs, Professor Yemi Akegbejo-Samsons charged the students to be good ambassadors of FUNAAB in their respective communities, by refraining from any activity that may constitute a threat to their well-being.

The Deputy Director of COBFAS, Dr Olusiji Smith, highlighted the rules and regulations governing the FPY programme, to include punctuality at work, according respect to constituted authorities and shunning any act of impersonation. Dr Sakiru Akinbode of the Department of Economics advised the students to study their environment, always look-out for opportunities and never be afraid to face challenges in life. During the programme, four student co-ordinators were appointed for the COBFAS zones. They are: Olusegun Babatunde, Ishaga-Orile; Fadairo Tolani,   Odogbolu; Akanmu Habeeb, Iwoye-Ketu and Ogundero Ayodele,  Ode-Lemo.

The aim of the programme is to make students closer to the realities and practice of agriculture through first-hand training and experience in communities where Nigerian farmers reside and practice farming within the same socio-economic system where the farmers operate. This affords the students’ trainees the opportunity to live and work on the farms in rural communities by stimulating the students’ interest in agriculture and motivating them to take up agriculture as a career.

Meanwhile, about 1,240 FPY students have moved to their respective locations.