The Kogi State Livestock Production and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES) has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, on the commercialisation of pasture production in the Ivory tower.
The Kogi L-PRES team gave this indication during a visit to the vice chancellor, Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Prof Abdulrahman Asipita Salawu.
According to the Information, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of CUSTECH, Osara, this visit is part of the project’s strategic engagement with relevant partners to advance discussions on the commercialisation of pasture production for export under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
In his opening remarks, the State L-PRES Project, Coordinator Otaru Abdulkadir Onoruoyiza gave a draw down of the partnership with CUSTECH, intimating the vice chancellor, Prof Salawu with the purpose of the visit, which includes assessing the 50 hectares of land site and its suitability for pasture development.
According to Onoruoyiza, the initiative’s benefits include improved productivity in the livestock sector to ensure food security, reduced farmers/herders conflict, a source of employment for the youths, income generation, and enhanced means of livelihood.
In her contribution, Ms Healther Ronke Akani, a member of the team and value chain consultant of the L-PRES Project, emphasised that the initiative was capable of enhancing the nation’s foreign exchange earnings while also helping to reduce the level of insecurity in the land.
She appealed for cooperation for the successful implementation of the programme.
In his remarks, the vice chancellor, commended the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for ensuring the enabling environment for the implementation of the L-PRES Project in the state through the provision of 100 hectares of land by the Confluence of Rivers Osara and Oro for the development of the pilot scheme.
According to him, the scheme will benefit the project and the university’s Agricultural Science students, thereby making it a win-win situation for CUSTECH as Resource Owners.
The Managing Director/CEO of Commodities Development Initiative, Dr Roland Oroh, as well as other Value Chain Cluster Coordinators, were present at the visit.
Kogi L-PRES is a World Bank-assisted project.
