University plants 10,000 oil seedlings, to start poultry farming, tractor hiring services

 As part of efforts to shore-up its internally generated revenue, the authorities of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, has planted 10,000 palm oil seedlings, with plans to start poultry farming and tractor hiring services.

Cordelia Agbebaku, vice chancellor of the university, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen, said a total of 1, 400 oil palm seedlings had already been cultivated, saying the plan was to complement the state government subvention to the institution.

According to Agbebaku, the tractor hiring service is geared towards assisting farmers in Ekpoma community and other communities in the state to plough and harrow at minimum cost.

The acting vice chancellor, who added that the development was the initiatives of the faculty of agriculture, noted that the effort was to boost agricultural programmes in the university.

She posited that the university had already planted a total of 1, 400 oil palm seedlings, inter-cropped with cassava until full maturity of the oil palm seedlings.

To her, the faculty is to plant about 2, 000 seedlings per annum until the 5, 000 hectares of land allocated to the university at its main campus was exhausted, noting “the faculty has so far planted 1,400 oil palm seedlings inter-cropped with cassava until full maturity of the oil palm seedlings. The faculty intends planting about 2, 000 seedlings per annum until the 5,000 hectares of land is exhausted.”

The faculty intends to produce about 5,000 birds, including layers and broilers, she said, just as she posited that the tractor hiring services would afford farmers in the locality and in the entire state opportunity to plough and harrow their farmlands at minimum cost.