By Leonard Okachie
Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo, has called for the establishment of a Tertiary Agricultural Education Research Fund (TAEFUND).
The governor, who delivered the 12th Convocation Lecture at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), on Friday, said “we definitely need to increase funding for agricultural research.”
Uzodinma, represented by Prof. Victor Nwachukwu, Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Imo, said that a dedicated specialised fund could be the game changer for the nation.
He spoke on the topic, “Agriculture and National Development in a Diversified Economy: A Vision of Renewed Hope through Town and Gown Entrepreneurial Partnerships.”
Uzodinma recommended that it should be funded through a law that makes it mandatory for agro-based corporate infrastructures and industries to pay one per cent of their profit as corporate tax to the fund.
According to him, the federal and state governments will contribute an equal ratio to the fund by deducting the equivalent of the total funds raised through the corporate tax to the research fund.
The governor called for strengthening of collaborations among universities, government and the private sector to achieve the kind of research and development he advocated.
He said: “We should encourage interdisciplinary research, where experts from different fields collaborate to solve complex problems.
“And we need to create better incentives to attract and retain talented researchers.
“Our universities should also enhance provision of more practical, hands-on training to their students.”
In a remark, the Chairman of the Lecture and Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau Jibrin, charged the nation’s universities to engage in high international contents, in order to achieve the universality of learning and character.
Jibrin, represented by Prof. Ike Oluka, former Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, MOUAU, congratulated the universality for contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the country.
MOUAU, formerly the Federal University of Agriculture, was established as a specialised university on Nov. 2, 1992 and began formal activities in May 1993.(NAN)
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