1. Student Trainees
i. Exposure of students to farming activities ns at the rural level, thereby providing opportunity to apply their acquired knowledge to real rural work and live conditions
ii. Prepare students for engagement in practical agriculture in appropriate environment, thereby bridging the gap between theory and relevant production skills actually needed
iii. Acquire an understanding of the cultural and socio-economic conditions of the rural farming communities
iv. Keep the students abreast of firsthand information on farmers’ problems and finding solutions to them
2. Host Community
i. Expose members of the host community to modern agricultural technologies which would enhance food security
ii. Increase the economic activities in the community, thereby reducing poverty
iii. Improve the socio-economic activities of the community, especially rural employment opportunities for the youths in the area
iv. Give room for capacity building through training workshops, seminars and symposia
v. Value addition
3. University
i. Increase the presence and relevance in more communities within its catchment areas
ii. Improve the technical competence of its agricultural graduates
iii. Strengthen the extension delivery mandate
iv. Facilitate testing of research output, extension recommendations and methods of intervention capable of replication in different communities in southwest Nigeria
v. Enhance feedback on problems faced by farmers in the various communities
vi. Dissemination of information through publication of technical bulletins, monographs and practical guides
vii. Building partnerships locally and internationally towards experience sharing on community-based farming scheme within and outside Africa.
Components of the Scheme and future outlook
For functionality and effectiveness, activities of the centre shall be divided into four components (thematic areas):
A. Community integration
B. Development of rain-fed and irrigated crop farming
C. Institutional support and strengthening
D. Processing and marketing strategies
E. Training and human capital development through seminars, travel tours, excursions and workshops
F. Job creation
Students’ Welfare
The University provides hostel accommodation at subsidized rates to the students at the various communities. Mass transit buses are also deployed to each community to transport the students to and from the farms. This is in addition transporting them fro and to Abeokuta at the beginning and end of the programme.
Training activities
Crop farms (5 hectares each) have been established in each of the COBFAS locations for the students. Lectures have been held in the communities. The first batch spent two months and returned to Campus by May 20, 2011. The second batch of about 400 students left for the various communities between Wednesday, May 25 and Friday, May 27, 2011.
