Date: 2018-04-12

Dr Mariam Ahmed, the acting Head of Department of Science Education, University of Ilorin (Unilorin) has appealed to the management of the university to allocate farmland to the Agriculture Education Unit of the department to enable it to commence large scale farming.

Ahmed made the appeal on Tuesday at the 2017/2018 Sale of Agro Produce Programme held at the university.

According to her, this will enable the unit to contribute to the efforts to improve food security in the country and increase the country's foreign exchange earnings in an age where demand for crude oil is decreasing on account of the rise of investment in renewable energy sources.

She noted that staff of the Agriculture Education Unit of the department were committed to practical aspect of their work as they were to the theoretical aspect.

The don appealed for farming implements which would enable the Department to venture into large scale mechanised farming to widen the experience and scope of students of Agric Education and prepare them for the world of agricultural entrepreneurship in addition to other advantages.

The Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof. Noah Oyedeji, commended the Agriculture Education Unit of the Department of Science Education.

He recalled how he became a fish farmer 20 years ago, while urging the Department to keep the flag of entrepreneurship flying.

The Coordinator of the Agriculture Education Unit of the Department of Science Education, Mr Kola Afolabi, noted that the agro sales programme was geared toward awakening the interest of agriculture, educating students in the agriculture value chain from pre-production stage to the storage and marketing stage.

He said it also showed the opportunities available in the value chain and in agro allied businesses for entrepreneurs.

The President of the Science Education Students Association, Mr Samuel Ojerinde, appreciated the department for organising the programme and commended his colleagues for enduring the shuttle between two faculties and the farm.