The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adeniyi Olayanju has again emphasized that cassava production in Landmark University would receive a boost as the University sets to leverage partnership with Cassava Adding Value for Africa Phase II (CAVA II). He said this at the meeting with the CAVA II team led by its Director, Professor Kola Adebayo (who is also the Director, Directorate of Grant Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.) in the University on Tuesday, 28th November 2017.

“I am glad that Cassava Adding value for Africa (CAVA) shares similar agrarian quest with that of Landmark University. This makes us birds of the same feather. For us in Landmark University, we are not oblivious of the wonders of cassava and that has stimulated our desire to commercial production of cassava, transforming into cassava flours and processed garri,” he added.

The Vice-Chancellor prided on the huge investments of the Proprietor base of the Universityin establishing the Cassava Processing factory situated at the Commercial Farms and securing over 350 hectares of land at Eleyin farms which is an annex of the University Commercial Farms, all dedicated to cassava production. He therefore expressed optimism in the prospective collaboration with a view to making indelible impacts in Nigeria and beyond.

While speaking on the Project, Professor Kola Adebayo said CAVA II, is a Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation Sponsored Project won by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta FUNAAB. It was set up to work across the cassava value chain in Africa (production, processing and value addition, and end markets) and enhance farmer productivity and output for increased incomes.

According to him, the organization pursues the actualization of its aim through “working with partners to explore and develop new market opportunities for fresh cassava roots by creating new market linkages – building and linking smallholder farmers to large markets in starch, ethanol, plywood, paperboard, milling and livestock (including aquaculture) feed sector.” 

He then boasted of the overall success of the project ultimately measured by the amount of roots sold by smallholder farmers into the value chain which has consistently exceeded all its targets of 2 million metric tons annually. Professor Adebayo therefore noted the enormous support CAVA II has received from its technical support baseresident in some renowned national and international organization which include among others the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and all the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) which have extensive international mandate for the development of the crop. 

He noted that not only has the impact of the project been felt on his University – FUNAAB – in terms of global recognition, it has helped the University to focus on solution-driven research and development in agriculture and exposed it to matchless grant opportunities. 

“This is one of the ways we would like to collaborate with Landmark University by opening this network that we have to yours because among private universities, you are unique because of your dedication and commitment to agriculture. That is an unusual terrain for a private university. Your location speaks volume of your commitment. It takes a man of vision to do all what we have seen here today,” Professor Adebayo remarked.

The University Management led the CAVA II team around the University cassava processing facilities to further build a robust and mutually beneficial collaboration and confidence in its prospects. 

Taking the partnership further, Professor Adebayo in his presentation titled, “Winning, Managing and Leveraging Research and Development Grants,” reinforced the interest of members of the faculty towards securing research and development grant opportunities that would signpost the University for Global reckoning. 

He said securing research and development grants is a deliberate effort andpreparatory to accessing this grantswould require taking cognizance of guidelines which he modelled as 10 commandments thatenthused faculty especially the young ones tostart early in their career andlearn patiently with a view to building the institution. He added that while pursuing the grants, the following keys are necessary to winning grants. They are “close each grant logically, Promote your institutional image ALWAYS, Know about other activities and events in your institution and present it to advantage, Invite collaborators and funders to see your home institution, Show your results and those of your colleagues to your collaborators and funders, Insist on the BEST practices in all your dealings, Be quiet when unsure, and Invite your colleagues to the front when the issues are not in your field of expertise.” 

He therefore called for a better coordination of the university’s research and development efforts driven by the University’s research cluster. 

The event ended with a well-deserved appreciation of the Management to the facilitator, Professor Kola Adebayo, who believed that the session together with the University’s unique vision of agrarian revolution would position the University on vantage pedestal to leading other world-class universities around the globe.