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ARIFA was designed to produce a new generation of fit-for-purpose workforce to re-engineer the African agri-food sector to provide the change factor for rapid agricultural transformation in the next 10 years
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By Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has partnered Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), to launch Agricultural Research and Innovation Fellowship For Africa (ARIFA), innovation platform in Nigeria.
ARIFA was designed to produce a new generation of fit-for-purpose workforce to re-engineer the African agri-food sector to provide the change factor for rapid agricultural transformation in the next 10 years.
TETFund, in a statement released in Abuja, on Monday, explained that in the first phase of ARIFA project, six institutions, namely, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Benin, University of Lagos, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, have been identified as beneficiaries.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, explained that TETFund’s intervention in ARIFA will impact on faculties and departments across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions resulting in the delivery of science -led solutions for improved livelihoods while sustaining and advancing academic excellence.
He further explained that TETFund has supported over 120 scholars nominated by beneficiary institutions, with most of the nominees at the first phase rounding off their programmes this year.
He added that the pre- admission process of the second phase of the programme has commenced, and TETFund was strongly committed to supporting another 500 sets of fellows.
Echono said that TETFund recognised the ARIFA model as an innovative strategy for revitalising pedagogy that will strengthen the institutional capacities of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and contribute to building the knowledge-based economy through its Centres of Excellence (CoE) across the country.
He added: “As we celebrate the return of the first contingent of ARIFA Fellows, I would like to reiterate the commitment of TETFund towards sustaining the momentum of the programme, especially as we begin to see the impact of injecting the new fellows into our educational sector, who will power the engines of TETFund ARIFA Innovation Platforms (TAIPS) across the country.
“Agriculture is a critical sector in Nigeria, and we must continue to invest in research and innovation to ensure sustainable growth and development. The ARIFA fellowship represents a strategic stride in this respect, and we are excited to have these highly trained fellows join us in this endeavour.
“The fellows will be applying their different expertise and knowledge in TAIPS, which will be invaluable as we work to improve the productivity and competitiveness of our agricultural industry. Ensure you continue to be part of the innovation ecosystem that we all envision towards strengthening Nigeria’s educational and agrifood systems,” he advocated.
Executive Director for FARA, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, said the launch of the programme is the beginning of realisation of ARIFA training in Brazil, adding that the ARIFA fellow returnee from Brazil will be planted back to their institutions where they took off to Brazil.
He said that Agriculture is so crucial to the development of Africa, noting that more than 80 percent of the working population in the continent derive their livelihood from agriculture. “So as the concept of AR4D is that you don’t do agriculture because you have nothing to do it is AR4D.”
One of the participants, Jennifer Nwaiwu, said she benefited a lot because the training was better than what she would have gotten in Nigeria.
“I appreciate FARA and TETFund for sending me to Brazil.
“I got a lot of experience and knowledge on better ways to do things and better ways to do research. I got to handle and use many improved technology to do agriculture and is a very big opportunity and I’m very grateful.
“This kind of his training in career path is going to be very impactful because coming back from Brazil, we expect that the knowledge we have acquired are going to be implementing in Nigeria, considering the fact that Brazil and Nigeria are similar in climate wise.”
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has partnered Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), to launch Agricultural Research and Innovation Fellowship For Africa (ARIFA), innovation platform in Nigeria.
ARIFA was designed to produce a new generation of fit-for-purpose workforce to re-engineer the African agri-food sector to provide the change factor for rapid agricultural transformation in the next 10 years.
TETFund, in a statement released in Abuja, on Monday, explained that in the first phase of ARIFA project, six institutions, namely, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Benin, University of Lagos, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, have been identified as beneficiaries.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, explained that TETFund’s intervention in ARIFA will impact on faculties and departments across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions resulting in the delivery of science -led solutions for improved livelihoods while sustaining and advancing academic excellence.
He further explained that TETFund has supported over 120 scholars nominated by beneficiary institutions, with most of the nominees at the first phase rounding off their programmes this year.
He added that the pre- admission process of the second phase of the programme has commenced, and TETFund was strongly committed to supporting another 500 sets of fellows.
Echono said that TETFund recognised the ARIFA model as an innovative strategy for revitalising pedagogy that will strengthen the institutional capacities of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and contribute to building the knowledge-based economy through its Centres of Excellence (CoE) across the country.
He added: “As we celebrate the return of the first contingent of ARIFA Fellows, I would like to reiterate the commitment of TETFund towards sustaining the momentum of the programme, especially as we begin to see the impact of injecting the new fellows into our educational sector, who will power the engines of TETFund ARIFA Innovation Platforms (TAIPS) across the country.
“Agriculture is a critical sector in Nigeria, and we must continue to invest in research and innovation to ensure sustainable growth and development. The ARIFA fellowship represents a strategic stride in this respect, and we are excited to have these highly trained fellows join us in this endeavour.
“The fellows will be applying their different expertise and knowledge in TAIPS, which will be invaluable as we work to improve the productivity and competitiveness of our agricultural industry. Ensure you continue to be part of the innovation ecosystem that we all envision towards strengthening Nigeria’s educational and agrifood systems,” he advocated.
Executive Director for FARA, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, said the launch of the programme is the beginning of realisation of ARIFA training in Brazil, adding that the ARIFA fellow returnee from Brazil will be planted back to their institutions where they took off to Brazil.
He said that Agriculture is so crucial to the development of Africa, noting that more than 80 percent of the working population in the continent derive their livelihood from agriculture. “So as the concept of AR4D is that you don’t do agriculture because you have nothing to do it is AR4D.”
One of the participants, Jennifer Nwaiwu, said she benefited a lot because the training was better than what she would have gotten in Nigeria.
“I appreciate FARA and TETFund for sending me to Brazil.
“I got a lot of experience and knowledge on better ways to do things and better ways to do research. I got to handle and use many improved technology to do agriculture and is a very big opportunity and I’m very grateful.
“This kind of his training in career path is going to be very impactful because coming back from Brazil, we expect that the knowledge we have acquired are going to be implementing in Nigeria, considering the fact that Brazil and Nigeria are similar in climate wise.”
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