IBB University, foreign firm, in N37.8bn partnership

The initiative would afford it the chance to bridge the gap of importation of food, the school’s Vice Chancellor said.

The Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State, said it will sign a memorandum of understanding with Euro Agricultural Consultant West Africa, for a N37.8 billion deal.

Ibrahim Kolo, the Vice Chancellor, said at the university’s Governing Board meeting in Minna that the scheme was for large-scale commercial agriculture.

He said the agreement was in line with the council’s directive to upgrade the demonstration farm of the school to a commercial status.

He stated that the initiative would afford it the chance to bridge the gap of importation of food.

Mr. Kolo also said that stakeholders in the state would be allowed to contribute to the scheme.

“We want to upscale our demonstration farm to commercial farm under public-private-partnership basis after doing a proper business plan,” he said.

Mr. Kolo said the university would also enter into partnership with a privatefirm to upgrade the university’s guest house to a standard tourists’ centre.

He said the presentation would also be made to stakeholders before presenting it to the board.

Innocent Udokporo, the Managing Director, Euro Agricultural ConsultantWest Africa, in a presentation, said the N37.8 billion agricultural plan would last from 2013 to 2023.

He stated that it would be based on the initiative of “land-to-food”.

He said the firm would look at the post-harvest technology, strategic production, operation, environmental, capital and organisational challenges to transform all the target farm produce to secondary products for export. (NAN)