The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) has signed a grant agreement with the University to execute a project titled Up scaling the Nigerian Flash Drying Experience for Sustainable Regional Trade and Income generation in West Africa (UDESWA).

According to the Project Coordinator, Dr. A. A. Adebowale, of the Department of Food Science and Technology, the objective of the project is to promote the use of efficient and proven drying technologies for sustainable food security and poverty alleviation in West Africa.

The project would pay particular attention to issues of livelihood change, gender impact, poverty elimination, environmental impacts, market development and sustainability of the project within the project communities and beyond the catchment areas.

The project, led by FUNAAB is to be executed in four West African Countries namely; Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Benin Republic and is expected to reduce and remove drudgery and post harvest losses being experienced by small holder farmers while, promoting social dynamics of proven commercialized drying technologies.

Other partners in the project are the Sierra-Leone Agricultural Research Institute, Sierra-Leone; Njala University, Sierra-Leone (SIR – Food Research Institute, Accra, Ghana) and University d’ Abomey-Calavi, Benin Republic.

The Project Coordinator disclosed that the total budget for the project is One Million Four Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($1,400,000); out of which One Million Two Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand US Dollars ($1,260,000) is to be released by CORAF/WECARD while partner Institutions will provide One Hundred and Forty Thousand US Dollars ($140,000) as counterpart contributions.

Dr. Adebowale on behalf of the project team, expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole and the University Management for their support and encouragement.