Last Updated on December 23, 2025 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
By Olasunkanmi Olajide
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, has restated the University’s commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture, food security and inclusive capacity development, describing the TAGDEV 2.0 initiative as fully aligned with FUNAAB’s mandate of Teaching, Research, and Community Development.
Prof. Kehinde made the remarks today, December 20, 2025, while declaring open the Stakeholder Sensitisation and Training of Farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Rice, Fish and Rice-Fish Systems Capacity-Building Workshop hosted by FUNAAB in collaboration with TAGDEV 2.0 Programme, University of Portharcourt with support from Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) in partnership with Mastercard Foundation.
The programme is designed to equip farmers, staff and students with practical skills in rice, fish and integrated rice–fish production systems under the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDEV 2.0) framework.
He disclosed that FUNAAB was interested in participating in the initiative as both a receiving and sending University, noting that TAGDEV 2.0 offers scholarship opportunities for undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students across Africa.
The Vice-Chancellor commended the project partners for their vision and urged participants to maximise the training, stressing that good agricultural practices would enhance productivity, improve livelihoods and strengthen resilient food systems.
Earlier in his Welcome Address, the Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan (FCAIB), Prof. Jonathan Atungwu, appreciated FUNAAB Management for the leadership that facilitated the University’s participation in the programme. He also acknowledged the Dean, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT), Prof. Bolarinwa Senjobi, for accepting to chair the Technical Session and commended the swift organisation of the workshop.
Prof. Atungwu described TAGDEV 2.0 as a transformative continental initiative, implemented in partnership with the (RUFORUM), the University of Portharcourt and the Mastercard Foundation, involving 12 universities across Africa. He explained that the programme builds on the successes of TAGDEV 1.0, with emphasis on strengthening agro-ecosystems in rice, fish and integrated rice–fish production.
According to him, the initiative integrates Technical and Business Education and Training (T-BET) Centres to boost vocational, entrepreneurial and digital skills, with a strong focus on youth development and women empowerment, operating a 70–30 percent gender balance in favour of women. He added that FUNAAB’s roles include value chain analysis, youth engagement across the agri-food sector, capacity building for staff and farmers, and the deployment of digital innovations in agriculture.
During the Technical Session chaired by Prof. Senjobi, Dr. Omolola Ayodeji of the Agricultural Economics and Environmental Policy Programme, Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE), delivered a presentation on “Business Skills and Record Keeping as Tools for Boosting Agripreneurship and Wealth,” while Miss Jemimah Atsu, an MSc student at the Department of Plant Physiology and Crop Production (PPCP), spoke on “Unlocking Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Ogun State’s Rice Value Chain: Empowering Youth and Women in Agriculture.”
Present at the event were the Ag. Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics (NTD), Dr. Oluwafunke Akinbule; Dr. Risikat Akinbode; Mr. Paul Soremi; other members of the Organising Committee; while participants included students, Academics, researchers and farmers’ groups from Budo-Ayetoro; Agbedola, Owo, Idiroko; Ifekowajo and Abule-Agbo, underscoring the programme’s strong community engagement focus.
