Kwara Polytechnic spends N13 million on Maize, Cassava plantation

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin

As part of efforts to curb encroachment on its land, the Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic, Engineer Dr. Abdul Jimoh, has disclosed that the institution has spent N13 million on a maize and cassava plantation.

The Rector made this announcement on Thursday during the ceremonial harvest of the farm produce, where he was joined by other top management staff of the institution. He explained that the maize and cassava plantations represent the first phase of farming on a designated 20-hectare plot of land.

“The idea behind this initiative is to utilize the vacant land for agricultural purposes as a way to discourage encroachment. This will also help make food available and affordable for the polytechnic community, the surrounding communities, and the state at large,” he stated.

“We initially cleared ten hectares. Once we completed the first ten hectares, we moved on to the second phase, clearing another ten hectares, making it a total of twenty hectares.”

The farming is being carried out by the Department of Agricultural Technology, the Department of Agricultural Engineering, and the Department of Bio-Environmental Engineering, under the supervision of a dedicated committee,” he added.

He also mentioned that part of the proceeds from the farm would be reinvested into farming, while the remainder would be used as part of the institution’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

“We spent about N10 million on clearing the land and around N3 million on purchasing seedlings and cassava stems,” he explained.

The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mrs. Mary Arinde, commended the Rector’s foresight, noting that the demand for food is continually on the rise. The Commissioner, represented by the Director of Research and Development, Hajia Rodhiat Yahaya, added that the initiative would significantly help address food shortages.

She also noted that this effort would help tackle the encroachment issues faced by the institution.

Similarly, the Director of the Institute of Technology, Engineer Mrs. Ruth Bayeri, highlighted the challenges in relocating the encroachers, which were eventually overcome through dialogue.

Engineer Bayeri, who also serves as the Chairman of the Farming Committee, noted that the land clearing began in February this year, with planting starting in April. She added that the initiative is profitable and will be ongoing. She further mentioned that the planting of soybeans will commence after the rainy season, as it is not a water-friendly crop.