A History of the Faculty Of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt

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     By

     

    N.E.S. Lale

    (Pioneer Dean of the Faculty)

    Department of Crop and Soil Science,Faculty of !riculture

    "#S$%&' %F $"E FCL$' %FCL$&E, N#P%&$

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    #N$&%DC$#%NFaculty of Agriculture, one of the three relatively

    new faculties in the University – the other twobeing those of Pharmaceutical Sciences andDentistry

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    %ri!in of the Faculty of !riculture

     The Institute of Agricultural esearch andDevelo!ment "IA#D$ established in %&'( servedas the nucleus and activities in this institute!rovided the groundswell for the founding of thefaculty)

    *andate to conduct research that wouldgenerate cutting edge technologies forincreasing agricultural !roductivity

    develo! a!!ro!riate methodologies for aggressive

    and innovative e+tension strategiescreate sucient awareness of emerging

    technologies amongst farmers

    develo! im!roved methods of value addition,

    storage and !rocessing of agricultural !roduce)

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    Faced with !erennial gross under-funding, the Institutefailed to consummate its lofty mandate and !ublice+!ectations

    Intervention and counsel of the .on) /ustice Atinu0eIge-led Federal 1overnment 2isitation Panel in (33(!rovided the im!etus for the Institute to transform intofaculty under the leadershi! of Dr) A)4) Agumagu

    In order to o!timi5e and activate the latent humanresources within the Institute without com!romising itsstatus as one of the few agricultural research institutes

    in the 6iger Delta egion "6D$)

     The Senate of the University eventually a!!roved theestablishment of the Faculty in its meeting of % st 

    *arch, (337)

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    $he Birth of the Faculty The Faculty of Agriculture came into e+istencethrough a letter dated &th  August (338 by the

    then 2ice 4hancellor, Professor Don *) 9aridam inwhich Professor 6):)S) ;ale was a!!ointed Dean

    .e was the only sta< in the Faculty toimmediately commence o!eration in the(338=(33> academic session)

    .is mandates were to?admit students for the (338=(33> academic sessionFacilitate the !rocess for the determination of the

    !referred relationshi! between the faculty and the

    institute)

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    .aving not !arta0en in the University*atriculation :+amination "U*:$ conductedby the /oint Admissions and *atriculation9oard "/A*9$

    Faculty had to !ut out internal advertisement

    for !ros!ective candidates who could notsecure admission into the biological sciences,medical sciences, dentistry, !harmaceuticalsciences and nursing through the 9asic

    Studies Programme "9SP$ of the University)

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    Pioneer dean had a town hall meeting of?Academic

     Technical

     /unior sta< of IA#D

    Agendum to determine the relationshi! they would wantthe Institute to have with the Faculty)

    4onsent was freely and unanimously given for theInstitute to be one of the academic units of the Faculty)4onveyed to the University@s A!!ointments and Promotions

    4ommittee "A#P4$ for a!!roval)

    Unfortunately, the a!!roval for this collective wish andas!iration by the institute and faculty came only in (3%(after !rolonged, unnecessary bic0ering s!ar0ed o< by a

    new demand for the autonomy of the Institute)

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     The faculty inherited all the sta< of the Institute com!rising sevenacademic sta< of di

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     These members of sta< doubled and continue todouble as research fellows in the institutes andas lecturers in the de!artments relevant to their

    training and disci!lines)

    9ased on Senate a!!roval of (3%(, members ofacademic sta< in the faculty also double aslecturers in their res!ective de!artments and asresearch fellows in relevant !rogrammes of theInstitute)

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     The Administrative Secretary - *r) A)S) Biri

    Finance cer- *r) /)6)D) *eenyene0or

     The faculty also inherited three AgriculturalSu!erintendents

    *r) P)9) Sana*r) 1)4) 4hu0wu

    *r) A)6) 6wachu0wu - who also too0 charge of thefaculty@s Demonstration and Teaching and esearch

    Farms and the institute@s farm along with the ((farm hands also inherited from the Institute)

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    Sta*n! Strate!y:ngaging the a!!ro!riate number and Cuality of

    academic and technical sta< and develo!ing robustacademic !rogrammes that adeCuately !re!are thereci!ients of the uniCue agricultural education that thefaculty o

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    Faculty embar0ed on an aggressive search for academicand technical sta< around the country and beyond)ith the e+ce!tion of the 6orth-est, all geo-!olitical 5ones

    within the country are re!resented on the sta< of the faculty)

     The faculty is committed to this recruitment strategybecause it understands that this modelstimulates national integrationbuilds friendshi! across di

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     This is already im!acting !ositively on access toFacilities

    eCui!ment

    instructional assets in other institutions andorgani5ations for the !ractical training that studentsof agriculture need in order to e+!and theiro!!ortunities and com!arative advantage)

    :+am!les?Faculty became a beneciary of the egional

    University Forum "UFU*$ for ca!acity buildingin agriculture

    4ollaboration between UF* and the faculty wasfacilitated by Dr) 9)) 6uga

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     Three of the !ioneer graduates who the Universitygraciously engaged as 1raduate Assistants, have sofar beneted from scholarshi!s and !lacements in

    universities around Africa for their higher degrees)

     The Alliance for 1reen evolution in Africa "A1A$ice ProEect on which the faculty is collaborating

    and which was facilitated by Dr) A)A) :sue

    At commencement in (338, the faculty had the!ioneer Dean as the only !rofessor)

    9y (3%3, there were ve !rofessors, a number ofreaders "associate !rofessors$ and several seniorlecturers with many of these on their way to

    attaining the !rofessorate in (3%8)

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     Department+

    Faculty designed the 0ind of curricula for all the!rogrammes that !rovide in-de!th theoretical0nowledge and !ractical s0ill acCuisition in order tomeet the needs of the (%st  century graduates withthe following obEectives?

    9uild technical ca!acity for entre!reneurshi! whichenhances the !ossibility for self-em!loyment

    bolster graduates@ advantage for robust global

    com!etitiveness

    adeCuately !re!are students for !ost-Cualicationem!loyment in !rivate and !ublic organi5ations and

    institutions as technocrats and e+!erts in agriculture)

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     The s!ecial features of the faculty@s agriculturalcurricula com!rise common courses for all rst yearstudents and so!homores)

     The students maEoring in sheries and forestry andwildlife management commence their s!eciali5edcourses in the third year and continue until the fth

    and nal year of study)

     The students of agricultureAgricultural economics and e+tension

    Animal science4ro! science and soil science4ontinue with the common courses and receive this

    broad training u! to the fourth year and only receives!eciali5ed courses in the various o!tions in the nal

    year)

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     The entire fourth year is devoted to hands-ontraining in integrated farms around the countryfor all students regardless of their areas ofs!eciali5ation)

     This is also the s!ecial feature that is causing

    older faculties of agriculture around the countryto ado!t the faculty@s model for theiragricultural education)

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    Agriculture !rogramme in the University of Port.arcourt is meant to eCui! trainees with a widerange of s0ills and technical ca!acity

     The orientation of students focuses on thedevelo!ment of s0ills that enhance theirentre!reneurial ca!acity and Cuality in servicedelivery

     This is in direct res!onse to local socio-economic

    needs and environmental concerns for meetingglobal goals for achieving food security andsustainable biodiversity conservation

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     There are currently, a total of eight o!tions

    organi5ed into three !rogrammes for students@s!eciali5ation

    In the 9achelor of Agriculture !rogrammeAgricultural :conomicsAgricultural :+tensionAnimal Science4ro! Production4ro! Protection

    Soil Science)

     The other two !rogrammes include the9achelor of Fisheries and the 9achelor of

    Forestry and ildlife *anagement)

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    NC &e+ource eri-cation i+itIn (33G, the Team of esource Assessment Panel of

    the 6ational Universities 4ommission "6U4$ led byProfessor )A) motesho of University of Ilorin visitedthe Faculty from &th to %8th December to assess? the Cuality of sta

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    It was, therefore, not sur!rising that the facultywas granted a!!roval to o!erate the threedegree !rogrammes?9) Agriculture

    9) Fisheries

    9) Forestry and ildlife *anagement)

     This a!!roval by the 6U4 was conveyed to the2ice-4hancellor vide the letter 6U4=AS=%((=2ol)%dated %8th A!ril, (33')

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    oernance and Leader+hip of the Faculty

     The !ioneer Dean with his team of .Ds,

    Faculty cer and Faculty Finance cer,during his tenure of slightly over si+ years,!rovided a form of leadershi! that was built on?strong democratic tenets

    mass !artici!atione+tensive devolution of !ower

    regular delegation of duty to subordinates)

     This style of leadershi! transformed eventuallyinto an enviable culture that transcendedde!artments and committees "standing and ad-hoc$ of the faculty)

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     This transformational leadershi! culture wascharacteri5ed by? Trans!arency

    .onestyAccountability

    Inclusiveness

    Friendshi!

    Familial inter!ersonal relationshi!s

    rgani5ational ownershi!

    4iti5enshi!

    9uy-in into every !rogramme and !roEect of thefaculty)

    As a result, the sta< became irrevocably

    committed to the !rogress of the faculty)

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    Several members of the academic sta< of the facultyserve on a number of university-wide committees

    A clear testimony to the ecacy of thetransformational leadershi! model in building enduring

    organi5ations and sustaining them on the !ath ofachieving their goals)

    HThe goal of transformational leadershi! is toHtransform !eo!le and organi5ations in a literal sense– to change them in mind and heart, enlarge vision,insight, and understandingJ clarify !ur!osesJ ma0e

    behaviour congruent with beliefs, !rinci!les or valuesJand bring about changes that are !ermanent, self-!er!etuating, and momentum building) Steven 4ovey"the author of 7 Habits of Highly Eective People$

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     Transformational model stands on threeassum!tions?

    !eo!le will follow a !erson who ins!ires them

    a !erson with vision and !assion can achievegreat things

    the way to get things done is by inEectingenthusiasm and energy

     The institution of a virile committee system as ameans of good governance inEected enough dosesof enthusiasm and energy into every sta

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     There were committees for?oce allocationmanagement of the lean resources of the faculty

    curriculum develo!mentfarmland acCuisition and delineationfaculty handboo0 !roductionfarm management

    community service  Students Industrial or0 :+!erience Scheme

    "SI:S$lecture and e+amination time-table

     The committee system is a signicant !art of the

    strategies that accounted for the ra!id !rogress

    and the modest achievements that the faculty

    witnessed in the rst si+ years)

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    egrettably, during the succeeding two years, theseideals were suciently eroded and in their !lace asystem of e+clusivity characteri5ed by totalitarianism andfascism was introduced into governance and this stiKed

    the overall develo!ment of the faculty signicantly)

    4onseCuently, members of the faculty began to ho!e andyearn for a future that would return the faculty to its

    former days that were imbued with glory and tangible!rogress)

    ne of the most remar0able incidents during this brief

    reign was the truncation of the tenure of one of the .Ds

    of Animal Science and Fisheries on the grounds that the6igerian Institute of Animal Science "6IAS$ !rohibits anon-registered Animal Scientist "AS$ to head theDe!artment of Animal Science in any 6igerian University)

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     The sta< of the de!artment with Cualicationssimilar to those of that .D and those with.6D !lus !ost-graduate di!loma in animal

    science as well as those with degrees inveterinary medicine cannot as!ire to head thede!artment)

     The only way to give Eustice to the lecturers insheries was to s!lit the de!artment

     The issue of whether lecturers in animalscience who do not !ossess the rst degree inanimal science would be !ermitted in thefuture to head their de!artment is a matter for

    University of Port .arcourt to decide)

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    edem!tion of the faculty

    n /anuary Gth  (3%7, Prof) :)4) o0oma

    mounted the saddle as the third but the rstelected Dean of the Faculty)

    Under her watch, the faculty is again being

    infused with the s!irit of leadershi! that itbegan with in (338 and e+!ectations are Cuitehigh that the faculty will witness a Cuantumlea! in advancement)

    It is during this tenure that the faculty gotaccredited by 6U4

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    #NF&S$&C$&E;ac0 of adeCuate infrastructureoce accommodationclassrooms and lecture halls functional laboratories libraries "!hysical and virtual$ functional teaching and research farm

    remains the greatest challenge that has daunted thefaculty since ince!tion)

     To date, infrastructure and instructional facilities

    have remained grossly inadeCuate even whencom!ared only with the Faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences

    DentistryDe!artment of 6ursing

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     The Faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences andDentistry and the De!artment of 6ursing

    underwent the 6U4 accreditation long before thefaculty of agriculture

     Two !rogrammes in the faculty "9) Agric and 9)Forestry # ildlife *gt$ were accredited betweenL3th 6ovember and 7th December, (3%7)

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    6onetheless, faculty forged collaboration and signed*emorandum of Understanding "*oUs$ with !rivateorgani5ations and !ublic institutions where fourth and nalyear students are able to use their facilities to acCuire the

    !ractical s0ills that augment their theoretical 0nowledge)

    Metta Allied Digital :nergy ;imited, an environmental and soilscience laboratory in :lelenwo

    Domita Farms in Uyo

    African egional ACuaculture 4entre in Aluu, Songhai ivers in 9unu Tai Fidelity Farm at magwa BainEi ;a0e 6ational Par0 and the Federal 4ollege of ildlife

    *anagement, both at 6ew 9ussa, 6iger State

    gun State A

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     The management of the faculty within the rst two yearsacCuired the abandoned former 9otanical 1arden with itsadEoining !ortions of land and develo!ed it into a

    functional integrated Demonstration Farm

     This is the foundation that catalysed the emergence of*r) :bi 4hima, a fourth year student of the De!artmentof 4ro! and Soil Science as the winner of the !ri5e in theUniversity-wide United 9an0 for Africa entre!reneurshi!com!etition in (3%(, having !re!ared the best business!lan)

    A &-hectare Teaching and esearch Farm in the UniversityPar0 of the Institution is undergoing various forms ofinfrastructural develo!ment and it is ho!ed that it wouldbecome a fully o!erational farmstead in the nearest

    future)

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     This Teaching and esearch Farm is certainly one ofthe smallest in any 0nown faculty of agriculture butgiven the e+cruciating and !rotracted negotiations

    that go on for the acCuisition of land from the hostcommunities, this is about the much the universitycan !rovide)

     This has made it rather mandatory for the Universityto ma0e e

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    Small but e+!ertly !lanned and eciently o!erated,the Demonstration Farm is integrated and harboursmushroom unit

    Poultrycane rat unitSnailryabbitryshee! !enssh culture tan0srchardsvegetable gardensnursery for oil !alm

    landsca!ing !lants and Kowers Faculty is su!!lying the university community with

    fresh vegetables and fruits, natural honey, local ande+otic Kowers and beautication !lants, fresh eggs,snails, etc)

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    9esides the farms which are the eCuivalent ofthe Teaching .os!ital for medical students, thefaculty has benetted from the following?

    4hief Femi tedola 9uilding in the University Par0

    ehabilitated ld ;ibrary in 4hoba Par0

     T:TFU6D Faculty of Agriculture 9uilding inUniversity Par0 which is currently under

    construction and is e+!ected to !rovide oceaccommodation, classrooms, lecture andconference halls )

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    %PP%&$N#$#ES ND C"LLENES The founding of a faculty of agriculture in the University of Port

    .arcourt in (338 is Cuite strategic es!ecially when viewed against

    the food security challenges in the 6D where oil and gase+!loration and e+!loitation continue to decrease agricultural!roductivity through reduction of out!ut !er unit area due to declining soil fertility

    Pollution

    increased labour costs as a result of massive rural-urban migration

    climate change !oor agricultural !olicies

    declining investment

    lac0 of incentives)

     To date, most of the sta!les, !oultry !roducts and other sources of!rotein, fruits and vegetables consumed in the region come fromother regions of the country or are im!orted

     There is, therefore, a large mar0et for agricultural !roducts in the6D)

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    !ripreneur+hip1iven the s0ill, com!etence and e+!erience, the u!beat and the 0nac0

    of the farm sta< to achieve set goals, as well as the huge mar0et thate+ists in the 6D, there are tremendous commercial and tradeo!!ortunities for agricultural enter!rises to thrive)

     The University only needs to build condence in the ca!acity of the sta<"academic and technical$ of the faculty to deliver on the mandate givento themJ it must begin to invest in infrastructural develo!ment and

    commit itself to continual investment in human resources develo!mentin emerging technologies)

    :normous investment o!!ortunities e+ist !articularly in the !rocessingand !ac0aging of farm !roduce as well as in !oultry and livestoc0 feed!roduction? cassava and cereal Kour, mushroom, snail, rabbit,

    vegetables, fruits, eggs, chic0en, animal feed, fruit Euice, are only a fewe+am!les of the o!!ortunities that stare us in the face)

    In com!arison with medical and engineering enter!rises which are moreca!ital intensive, investment in agriculture has two maEor advantages?low investment ca!ital and a short return-on-investment !eriod)

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     These are some of the issues that informed the >th  2ice-4hancellor of the University, Prof) Don *) 9aridam, to lead ateam of the Princi!al cers of the University, the Provost ofthe 4ollege of .ealth Sciences, the Dean of school of

    1raduate Studies, the Dean and other sta< of the Faculty on astudy visit to the Songhai Farms in 9enin e!ublic in (33')

     The team visited the integrated Songhai Farms in Porto 6ovo,Savalou, Para0ou and BewenEi and was convinced that the

    Songhai model at BewenEi which has the smallest farm holdingwas the most suitable for the Faculty of Agriculture given itsland holding constraints)

    ith a subsisting *oU between Songhai 9enin and the

    University of Port .arcourt, this is one investment o!!ortunitywhich successive administrations ought to !ursue and see toits im!lementation)

    It is also !ossible to e+!lore the !ossibility of a !ublic-!rivate

    !artnershi! in order to !rocure the ca!ital needed)

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     The faculty is still convinced that the Songhai model whichis an integrated system and a farmstead remains the mostviable for o!timi5ing agri!reneurshi!

    If the University commits itself to actuali5ing this dream, itwould become a world-class entre!reneurial university anda centre of e+cellence where agriculture students from sub-Saharan Africa, !otential investors in farming enter!risesand tourists would assemble continually for training, shortcourses and tourism)

    ith a second *oU between the authorities of University ofPort .arcourt and the ivers State Sustainable

    Develo!ment Agency and the !ronouncement by the Gth

     2ice-4hancellor, Professor /)A) AEien0a to establish a farmmodelled on the Songhai !hiloso!hy "see Uni!ort ee0ly%&-(> August and (> August - ( Se!tember, (3%L$, it isho!ed that the dream for a truly integrated farm wouldeventualy be reali5ed)

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     The Faculty of Agriculture Eudiciously de!loyedthe funds allocated to it during its rst si+ years

     The cutting down of the monthly subvention tothe faculty, de!artments and farm units to lessthan one-third of their !re-(3%3 amounts hasdrastically slowed down the !ace ofinfrastructural develo!ment)

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    Community SericeInfrastructural deciency notwithstanding, the

    faculty has been forging ahead to deliver onthe third leg of the tri!artite mandate ofuniversities, community service, the other twobeing teaching and research)

    In (3%(, the faculty embar0ed on a s0illsacCuisition training !rogramme in which themembers of the host communities of Ala0ahia,

    Aluu and 4hoba, were trained from %&th to ((nd December on various as!ects of farmingenter!rises in a wor0sho! ca!tioned HTrainingor0sho! on Agro-:m!owerment of omen

    and Nouths in Uni!ort .ost 4ommunities)

    In !ursuit of this ideal it would be more rewarding

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    In !ursuit of this ideal, it would be more rewardingfor all sta0eholders if the University could formulate

    a !olicy to ma0e the agri!reneurial training for the

    host communities an annual event)

    n %3th  December of the same year, the faculty

    organi5ed its rst anniversary of the orld Food

    Day of the Food and Agriculture rgani5ation, anactivity that earned greater !ublicity and

    recognition for the Faculty and University)

    Professor 6)) Adedi!e, a one-time 2ice-4hancellorof the University of Agriculture, Abeo0uta, gunState gave the 0ey not address-

    HAgricultural 4oo!eratives – Bey to Feeding theorld)

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    Faculty of !riculture cademic Sta/ 0elfare Scheme

    In (33&, a Faculty of Agriculture Academic Sta<elfare Scheme was created)

    :ver since, the faculty holds its 4hristmas !artyannually in the full awareness that, Hall wor0 and no

    !lay ma0es /ac0 a dull boy and 9oma, a dull girl)

    A direct chec0-o< from the salaries of members bythe University@s 9ursary De!artment commenced in(3%%)

     The scheme has enEoyed stout leadershi! rstunder *rs) )) 6uga who Kagged o< the S!ecialFund

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    Student Enrolment and raduation*any reasons have been adduced for the low

    enrolment in agriculture?!oor !ublic !erce!tion of agriculture as a

    rewarding career

    !oor remuneration of agriculture graduateses!ecially those in !ublic em!loyment

    manifest discrimination against agriculture as a

    !rofessional course although its !rogrammes ofstudy reCuire a minimum of ve years tocom!lete as those of engineering, !harmacy,nursing, etc)

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    graduates of the latter courses u!onem!loyment commence on a salary one levelhigher than where agriculture graduates

    commence theirs rather unEustly)

    For instance, in the university system, rst

    degree graduates of these disci!linescommence their career in the academia asAssistant ;ecturers whereas their counter!artsfrom agriculture commence theirs as 1raduate

    Assistants, one level lower)

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    !ractice of agriculture ta0es !lace,understandably, in rural and !eri-urban areas

    where social amenities and infrastructure – oads,!i!e borne water, :lectricity, .os!itals,educational institutions, !rocessing and storagefacilities are tenuous)

     These factors have largely contributed to thedecreasing interest amongst !ros!ective entrantsto select agriculture as a course of study in our

    tertiary institutions)

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     The faculty commenced admission in the (338=(33>academic session with students from the 9SP who could notsecure admission into their !referred rst choice coursesand had to be given soft landing in agriculture)

    Some retoo0 the /A*9 University *atriculation :+amination"U*:$ and left the faculty but those who could not meet thereCuired cut-o< score !rescribed by /A*9 continued withtheir studies and eventually graduated)

     The im!lication of this is that agriculture in the country isbeing underta0en by !oorly !re!ared

    !oorly Cualied !oorly motivated students ho reluctantly acce!t to be herded into a career in agriculture

    as a last resort and as an insurance against staying at home towait for admission into the University for years on-end)

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     This is what accounts for the !erennially lowenrolment gures for agriculture in the country)

    In com!arison, virtually every de!artment in theFaculties of .umanities, Social and *anagementSciences, admits at least %33 students annually)

    Unless urgent ste!s are ta0en by !olicy-ma0ersin agriculture, food insecurity will remain theAchilles heel for

    FederalState;ocal governmentsas a large !ro!ortion of citi5ens continue to go to

    bed hungry, remain malnourished and sic0ly)

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     The !olicy change reCuired com!rises?creation of a dedicated scholarshi! scheme to

    encourage more youths to study agriculture

    !lacement of agriculture graduates in !ubic and!rivate service at !ar with their counter!artswho underta0e the 8-year training in theuniversity

    establishment of a system of grants andmentorshi! in agri!reneurshi! for agriculturegraduates

    !ur!oseful and sustained investment in

    infrastructural develo!ment of the rural and!eri-urban areas which serve as the incubatorfor farm enter!rises)

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    $"E FCL$' ND F$&E DEEL%P1EN$

     The !otential of the faculty as a !ossible maEor earnerof I1 for the institution needs to be a!!reciated for

    sustained infrastructural develo!ment to ta0e !lace)

     The managers of the faculty need to be more  foresighted

    !ur!ose-drivenresourceful inclusive in their de!loyment of the huge human ca!ital

    that the faculty harbours)

    For com!leteness and for a more functional faculty,the academic range must includede!artments of food science

    nutrition and home economics

    i h f h i h i l

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    During the tenure of the !ioneer Dean, the curriculafor these academic !rogrammes were designed by acommittee com!osed of 

    *r) 2)4) abali*r).):) Balio*s) dodobari /i0e-ai

     These should be forwarded to the Senate 4ommitteeon Academic Policies and Programmes "S4APP$ enroute to Senate for a!!roval)

     The inclusion of these !rogrammes on the list ofavailable !rogrammes in the faculty will hel! toim!rove the !ublic image of agriculture in theUniversity and the region and will thus broaden the

    choice by students)

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    In the >'th  Inaugural ;ecture, ;ale "(3%3$es!oused the establishment of the

    de!artment of agricultural engineering in theUniversity to com!lement the !ace ofresearch and technology develo!ment inagriculture

    C%NCLS#%N

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    C%NCLS#%N

    In this brief history, the origin, !otentials and the

    infrastructural needs of the faculty have beenhighlighted for the a!!reciation of the Universitycommunity and the managers of the institution)

    ith this, it is ho!ed that the faculty wouldreceive a 0eener attention for greater investmentes!ecially in infrastructural develo!ment from thecentral administration)

    It is also ho!ed that the faculty would once againbenet from an internal governance system thatis focused, democratic, !eo!le-oriented andinclusive)

    Th th i di t th t f hi i

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     These are the ingredients that are necessary for achievinge+cellence in teaching, research and community service and forearning an enviable !ublic image as a faculty within the Universityof Port .arcourt and beyond)

     This assertion is !redicated on the insight !rovided in the .oly ritin Proverbs %%?%7? HWithout wise leadership, a nation falls; withmany counsellors, there is safety.

    Successive leadershi! must reali5e that the im!lementation of thee+clusivity model of governance in the faculty is a great disserviceto the system or to any organi5ation or institution for that matter)

     This !ers!ective has also been am!lied in Proverbs %8?((? Plans

    go wrong for lac! of advice; many counsellors bring success "The.oly 9ible, 6ew ;iving Translation$)

    :+!ectations are high under the new management of the faculty ledby Prof) :)4) o0oma that the faculty will once again e+!erience arevolution and transformation in terms of academic advancement,infrastructural and human develo!ment)

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    A!!reciation

     Than0 you for listening