Fred Ojeh
Contec Global Agro Limited (CGAL) and the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) are working on the process of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on organic farming.
The move is geared towards assisting the federal and state governments’ efforts to boost food security in the country.
Speaking on behalf of Dr. Benoy Berry, the Chairman and Founder of CGAL, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Thomas Chackunkal, was quoted in a statement, to have expressed optimism while conducting the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’ Allah, round the company’s tissue culture facilities and bio-organic fertilizer plant in Abuja, recently.
Na’ Allah, who was impressed at the facilities lauded Berry for his food security drive through organic farming production.
“I never knew that this this kind of world class agro facilities exist in Nigeria,” he said.
While underscoring the urgency for the collaboration through the MoU, he said the University was willing to offer its vast expanse of land and manpower for the mutual benefits of both organisations and Nigeria, adding that the collaboration was long overdue.
The Vice Chancellor said: “The template on this MoU between us is collaboration and ensuring to the letter that we will not only combine to do intensive research and training, we will also put in place the mechanism to get the organic farm produce to Nigerians, Africans and the world.
“As a University, we must carry every stakeholder along and together like CONTEC, the government, the academia and the youths who are Nigeria’s future,” he added.
According to him, CGAL was taking the right step by investing in organic as it is the way to go considering the implications of chemicals and metals that can be cancerous to the body.
He acknowledged that the consumption of organic food is currently gaining traction even beyond the Western world and in other climes as most big supermarkets now have departments and sections for organic crops like bread, tomatoes, banana, potatoes, among others.
“I have done it before at the Kwara State University from where I’m coming from through the farm to wealth entrepreneurship programme as we were then the first public university to have done this which became a template for others to follow.”
In his remark, Berry said the massive investment in the sector no doubt would contribute in helping Nigeria meet its overwhelming food demand and food security through deploying organic farming for safe and healthy crops for the country.
