DELSU Partners Stepat Farms To Strengthen Its Community Service, Boost Food Supply In Nigeria

By Patrick Ijeh

The Vice Chancellor of Delta State University, Abraka, Prof. Andy Ogochukwu Egwunyenga, has announced that the university will partner with Stepat Farms to strengthen its community service and boost food supply in Nigeria.

The Vice Chancellor stated this on Tuesday during the public unveiling of a variety of foods processed into flour by Stepat Farms in Abraka.

Prof. Egwunyenga who was Chairman of the occasion, commended the Chief Executive of Stepat Farms, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, for his passion for agriculture and the initiative in food processing.

He noted that this effort will enhance food supply for Nigerians and contribute to the country’s export market.

He stated that Delta State University, Abraka, will collaborate with Stepat Farms through its Faculty of Agriculture, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies and DELSU Investment Limited to spread awareness of the products, promote skill acquisition in food processing and market the products at both local and international levels.

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The Vice Chancellor declared that the university is proud to identify with the remarkable achievements of Prof. Muoboghare who has always made the university proud through his tremendous contributions to the development of the university, the university system, education sector and the society in general through his roles as two-time Branch Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), member of the Governing Council of the university, Consultant to the Delta State Government on Education, and Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Higher Education respectively.

While presenting a range of eight processed food products, Prof. Muoboghare shared that he was inspired to process food crops into flour during his university days in the 1970s when he first encountered canned bean flour.

He announced that the first set of products being presented at the unveiling ceremony include beans flour, cassava flour (for Fufu), corn starch flour (for Akamu), garri flour, plantain flour, rice flour, sweet potato flour, and yam flour.

These products, he assured the audience, have been approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory agencies.

He promised to expand into the processing of other foodstuff to reduce wastage of perishable farm products and declared his desire to partner with other stakeholders to combat food insecurity in Nigeria.

He called on all to embrace agriculture as part-time or full-time ventures to strengthen the food supply chain.

The Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony and Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Sir Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, while unveiling the processed food products revealed that the Delta State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff Oborevwori and in keeping with his M.O.R.E Agenda will continue to encourage every person or group that comes up with ideas to boost food supply in the state.

Sir Tilije commended Prof. Muoboghare for his initiative in supporting the state government’s efforts to address hunger.

He described Prof. Muoboghare as a man full of innovative ideas for societal development, noting his significant contributions to the state’s progress when they both served as commissioners in the Delta State Executive Council.

Other prominent personalities who graced the public unveiling of the processed food products include the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, represented by Prince Charles Abutoh; Honourable Member Representing Ughelli North Constituency II in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Spencer Ohwofa; the Chief of Staff, Government House, Asaba, Hon. Johnson Erijo; the Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari, represented by Dr Okpimah Emoefe; Principal Officers and other management staff of the Delta State University, Abraka; representatives of Isoko Positive Agenda, and Uwheru community as well as classmates of Prof Muoboghare from Federal Government College, Warri.

The high point of the ceremony was the unveiling of the food items processed into flour from Stepat Farms by the Special Guest of Honour and Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Sir Tilije, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor of Delta State University, Abraka, Prof Egwunyenga, top government functionaries, Principal Officers of the university and other dignitaries present.