FUNAAB partners US-based firm on livestock technology transfer

The Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has approved a working agreement with Novus International, a US-based agro-allied firm and its country representatives on Norgem (Nigeria) Limited.

According to the university, this is based on its commitment to providing a robust and healthy agriculture-based platform for teaching and research in animal nutrition, science as well as livestock production.

The working agreement, which accounted for recent visit of officials from the US-based firm and Norgem (Nigeria) Limited to FUNAAB, was undertaken by them to explore the possibility of establishing a technical co-operation with the university aimed at increasing animal and livestock production in the country.

Speaking during the visit to the university in Abeokuta, Luis Azevedo, the director of Novus International for Latin America and Africa, expressed Novus’ intention to open official relationship with the university, having been adjudged as the world leader in providing animal nutrition and health, pledging to replicate graduate students’ sponsorship in FUNAAB, just as they did in 2006 for some leading universities in China.

He said: “We see ourselves more as a company that is interested in innovation and technology in the field of animal nutrition and health, and plans to be a key player in the growth of animal production in Africa, with Nigeria being the key market needed to broaden the establishment.”

In actualising these plans, the director pointed out that it was very important to have a very close relationship with universities, not only in terms of validating the technologies that were developed, but also in developing the people by adapting these technologies to market needs.

Azevedo stressed that Novus International was looking forward to reforming its relationship with the academia, saying “we can do a trial together that can evolve in terms of knowledge transfer, evolve in developing the faculty, developing the students, better prepare the students for the market and bridge the gap that exists between academia and the industry.”

Through the partnership, he noted that students in animal agriculture would be encouraged to develop strong research programmes, while international perspective opportunities would be open to students to do internship at the Novus International headquarters in the United States of America.

Responding, Olusola Oyewole, vice-chancellor of the university, assured the delegates of FUNAAB’s willingness to partner them, adding that researches in FUNAAB were usually tailored towards addressing industrial needs.

According to him, FUNAAB’s College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM) has the largest concentration of professors of animal science in any Nigerian university. He said the university would assist the company in any area of interest as well as allowing the officials of Novus to teach the students.

Christian Ikeobi, dean of COLANIM, represented at the occasion by Oluseyi Oduguwa, head of department of animal nutrition, said the activities of Novus was not unfamiliar to the university because a doctoral student of FUNAAB was already making use of its products for her research work, just as he pledged to give required co-operation for smooth take-off of the technical co-operation.