The Federal University of Technology, Akure has received N1 billion from the Federal Government to strengthen its agricultural commercial farm operations under the 2025 Special Intervention Programme for Agricultural Commercial Farms approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The approval, conveyed by the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, was communicated in a letter to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji. Echono explained that the fund aligns with the government’s vision to advance research-driven agriculture and promote food sufficiency through higher institutions.
In her reaction, Professor Oladiji described the allocation as a significant step toward tackling food insecurity and expanding FUTA’s agricultural innovation. She noted that the university’s vegetable production center is already supporting local farmers with improved F1 species of bell pepper and tomatoes developed by its Teaching and Research Farm.
“These species have a lot of advantages over the traditional ones,” she said, adding that the university has doubled the number of trees in its palm plantation and is constructing additional greenhouses to boost productivity.
She assured that the N1 billion fund will be used effectively to enhance FUTA’s commercial farming capacity. “I can assure the President that we shall deliver and not disappoint him. The fund shall be judiciously utilized for the purpose it is meant for,” she said.
FUTA’s commercial farm was established to bridge the gap between research and practice in agriculture. Beyond serving as a teaching and research hub, the farm also operates as a commercial production center and has recorded key breakthroughs in crop development, particularly with its high-yield F1 bell pepper and tomato varieties that outperform traditional species in pest resistance, yield, and shelf life.
This development is expected to create stronger linkages between academic innovation and practical agriculture, providing a boost for food security and agribusiness productivity in Nigeria.
