By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Femi Dansu

In a significant move to spearhead agricultural revitalisation and enhance food production within its immediate environment, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has entered a strategic partnership with Auxano Farms to establish a sprawling 500-hectare Farm Estate within the University campus.

The collaboration, which has started with the clearing of the site located after the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), and on the road leading to the Institute for Human Resources Development (INHURD), was aimed at addressing food security challenges in the country.

Facing the challenges of limited production capacities, FUNAAB has broadened its scope beyond its core mandates of Teaching, Research, and Extension Services by joining forces with Auxano Farms, to cultivate a variety of crops including maize, cassava, pepper, tomatoes, and perennial crops like oil palm.

Additionally, the initiative would encompass the processing of harvested produce, ensuring value addition and sustainability.

The Farm Estate would also feature a One-Stop Shop where consumers could purchase fresh farm produce directly, bridging the gap between producers and consumers.

Meanwhile, the initiative was not only poised to bolster food security in the region but also to generate employment opportunities, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the nation.