By Steve Oko

UMUDIKE — The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), has unveiled plans to deploy large-scale maggot production and commercial cassava farming as part of efforts to reduce livestock feed costs, boost food production and generate revenue.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Akanwa, disclosed this while presenting her 100-day scorecard, saying the university had commenced a research partnership between the College of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (CNREM) and Primarch Integrated Farms on maggot production technology.

She said the project would provide a cheaper, protein-rich alternative to conventional livestock feed and support large-scale fish, poultry and pig production in the university.

According to her, the initiative will particularly benefit the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management (FISHARM), enabling cost-effective fish production for staff, students and commercial markets.

To deepen the project, Akanwa said she had directed the extension of the collaboration to the College of Animal Science and Animal Production (CASAP).

The Vice-Chancellor also revealed that a N370 million feed laboratory, funded through a World Bank-supported intervention attracted by Prof. Udo Herbert, is under construction and expected to be completed within six months.

She further announced the allocation of 10 hectares of land and N20 million to the Centre of Excellence in Root Crop Research and Development (CERCORD) for large-scale cultivation of cassava, maize and other crops.

“An additional six hectares have been allocated to the University Farms for intensive cassava production”, she revealed.

Akanwa said the projects were designed to tackle hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition while creating jobs, expanding value-chain opportunities and boosting the university’s internally generated revenue.

Highlighting other achievements of her administration, the Vice-Chancellor announced the revival of the university’s Agri-Voice FM radio station after years of inactivity.

She said the station would serve as a platform for disseminating modern agricultural knowledge to rural farmers and training students interested in broadcasting and communication.

She also cited improvements in staff and student welfare, campus security, institutional reforms aimed at enhancing the university’s global visibility, and efforts to instill discipline among staff.

The VC said over 150 senior administrative staff were sponsored to conferences in addition to academic staff who received similar assistance.

She also said that inaugural lectures , under her watch, had become a monthly routine while regular payment of postgraduate supervision allowance and honorarium for external examiners had been restored.

The VC vowed that under her watch, staff would not be denied their entitlement but added that “all hand must be on deck.”

According to her, the administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards truancy and lateness to work, while eliminating the extortion of graduating students by departmental examination officers for reconciliation of results.

The Vice-Chancellor said timely release of academic results had become a priority, warning that delays by lecturers would attract sanctions.

She pledged to sustain reforms aimed at transforming MOUAU into a leading agricultural university and thanked staff, students and management for their support during her first 100 days in office.