The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Felix Salako has lauded the University’s Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC) for its various outreach services and regular training programmes on current trends in agriculture. Giving the commendation during a One-day Training Workshop for stakeholders in all spheres of agriculture tagged “Agricultural Produce and Marketing in Nigeria: New Trends and Challenges”, Prof. Salako noted that AMREC had continuously embarked on creating awareness through workshops and seminars on value chain development.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Prof. Lateef Sanni, he urged AMREC to extend its partnership to popularise FUNAAB Alpha Chicken, which is an innovation by the University. Speaking on AMREC’s efforts on the partnership, the Vice-Chancellor restated that AMREC, in the last 10 years, had partnered on several developmental projects, among which is the Cassava: Adding Value for Africa Project (C:AVA), Cassava Agronomy Weed Management and Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE).
He encouraged the participants to make good use of the workshop and ensure that they respond to some of the global challenges facing the country. The Director of AMREC, Prof. Dorcas Adegbite appreciated University Management for the prompt support always given to the centre whenever they were called upon. The Director explained that the workshop was geared towards upgrading the knowledge of participants in the area of production and marketing of agricultural products. In his paper titled “New Trends in Marketing Agricultural Products/Produce in Nigeria”, Dr. Femi Akinbola of the Deparment of Business Administration, College of Management Sciences (COLMAS) identified creativity as the major thing lacking in marketing agricultural produce in Nigeria. According to him, “The absence of creativity gives room for non-Agric persons to benefits more from agro-value chain”.
Prof. Eniola Fabusoro of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), represented by Dr. Dare Akerele of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management (COLAMRUD), in his presentation, titled “Marketing of Agricultural Produce/Products among Rural Smallholder Farmers: The Challenges”, described smallholder farmers as a family-owned enterprise that produces crops or livestock on two or fewer hectares, as he described the market as a dynamic entity that should be people-oriented.
