Senator pledges collaboration with FUNAAB to improve farming

Sen. Shuaibu Salisu (APC-Ogun Central) says he is collaborating with Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) on food security and improved farming methodology.

Salisu stated this during an interactive session with the university community in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

While expressing his readiness to support and partner with the university in training local farmers in Ogun central senatorial district, the lawmaker said the gesture was one of the ways of achieving sustainable food production in the country.

He called on the institution to send students to rural areas for wide extension services in order to enhance improved farming methodology, aimed at further ensuring food security in Nigeria.

“Can we begin to train our farmers in the rural area? Can we have our students for wide extension services in our farms to ensure we have improved farming methodology and, invariably, address the food insecurity?

“I have come to identify with you, to build a partnership that will benefit my senatorial district and to address the challenges,” he said.

Salisu assured the university community that he would facilitate the reconstruction of the road leading to the institution from the camp which is in deplorable condition.

He said that before the reconstruction of the road, which would be in the next appropriation bill, he would make plans for palliatives to cushion the hardship currently being faced by people in the axis.

“I am the senator representing this area; I must know their challenges; you can see that their road is bad, and several other things are required to ensure that they sustain the tempo of their academic achievements and leadership,” he said.

Salisu, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), said that plans were underway to harmonise the database of Nigerians.

“You cannot have a digital economy without a reliable digital identity, and digital identity starts with harmonising database to ensure that one individual is recognised across the system.

“We have engaged the relevant ministry; we must ensure that a Nigerian who has registered with a name and has a National Identity Number (NIN) must be recognised across all platforms,” he said.

Earlier, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Kehinde, appreciated the senator for deeming it fit to interact with the university community.

Kehinde said that the university would cooperate and partner with him in order to achieve all his ‘lofty’ programmes.