By Binta Shama
In a bid to revolutionize agricultural practices in Nigeria, boost food security, and guarantee sustainability in agricultural raw materials supply for the manufacturing industries, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), have agreed to partner to advance the course of crop production and utilization of modern technologies for processing and value addition of industrial agro-raw materials inputs to diversify the economy. Part of this collaboration will entail jointly developing scientific skills for the production of new, advanced, and indigenous plant species and trees that will guarantee an adequate supply of critical and strategic raw materials to attract investments within their regions of occurrences whilst engendering agricultural standard best practices to support the emergence of a vibrant agricultural-based sector in Nigeria.
Join Us for the
Africa Raw Materials Summit 2025
Speaking when a delegation of MOUAU, led by the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Comrade Fidelis Edeh, paid him a working visit in Abuja recently, the Director General, RMRDC, Prof Nnanyelugo Martin Ike-Muonso, said the Council was an organization of the federal government with the mandate to promote the development and optimal utilization of raw materials as industrial inputs. He said in furtherance of this mandate, the Council was already engaged in activities that will lead to value addition to the nation’s industrial raw materials resources to energize the industrial sector of the economy, and that the idea of knowledge sharing to create more inputs from agricultural resources to fire manufacturing activities in the country, was a welcome one which he would support. He expressed optimism that the collaboration with MOUAU would yield the desired results in the Council’s quest to strengthen its efforts targeted at developing the nation’s agricultural sector using research and technological innovations to boost industrially positive outcomes and outputs.
The DG further said the Council, under his administration, was committed to optimizing the gains of R&D outcomes and converting them towards creating a support system for the agricultural sector of the economy to thrive. He said the Council will support efforts to advance the course of shared values that can engage expertise form both institutions to drive production, development and optimal utilization of agricultural raw materials inputs for the development of industries. He opined the proposed collaboration should deepen activities of government aimed at diversifying the economy and promoting self-reliance in raw materials sourcing and utilization, even as he called upon MOUAU, as a major stakeholder in line with the council’s vision and mission on raw materials production and value addition, must work closely with the council to reposition the nation’s dwindling fortunes in industrialization and local manufacturing, stating that the Council under his watch, will continue to seek out relevant institutions for collaborations to notch up efforts towards industrializing the nation’s economic competitiveness ranking and global relevance in raw materials sourcing, development and utilization.
Prof Ike-Muonso also averred that a lot still needed to be done in the areas of precision agriculture, Agricultural mechanization, and crop and animal improvement, among others, and that the Council had recently entered into several partnerships to strengthen efforts towards building a robust base for the emergence of a scientifically and technologically driven R&D structure in Nigeria, a framework for the attainment of rapid industrial and economic growth in the country. He said the Council, a parastatal under the supervision of the federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, should be seen as a leading light in the actualization of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, saying he is leaving no stones unturned to guarantee the actualization of this vision.
Speaking further, Prof Ike-Muonso noted that a well-articulated partnership agreement between the Council and MOUAU will among other things create opportunities to develop capacities around the agricultural raw materials ecosystem in precision agriculture and other technology-enhanced farming methods, including, agricultural mechanization, mechanized irrigation, crop and animal improvement and post-harvest management – as important elements in the attainment of agricultural development in the country; and yield positive deliverables that can help translate scientific discoveries to actionable innovations.
Prof Ike-Muonso also tasked MOUAU on establishment of a dedicated degrees awarding programmes on modern farming processes and process technologies to build capacities within the Council, even as he noted that his administration was committed to training the staff of the council workforce efficiency and efficient service delivery. He said his effort in this direction has yielded a new collaboration with the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) for the joint establishment of a Master and PhD degrees warding the Institute of Raw Materials Research and Development proposed to be sited in NSUK.
“Our interest is more direct. We want research that will lead to what industries will need. Recently we signed a Memorandum of Understanding Memorandum (MoU) with the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) to solve programs on raw material economics and they did fantastic work, beefing up the capacity to conduct research within the Council because having staff capacity, retraining of staff and refocusing is very important.
“The vision of RMRDC is to promote the development and optimal utilization of Nigeria’s natural resources. Which in the actual sense, we are aiming, to achieve a better country.
“I want to see if I can replay that with your university because my desire is to set up a Centre of Excellence in agricultural raw material and technology, to be able to do things together with you and access funding for a lot of activities for the benefits of our people who also understand what it means to use agriculture and agricultural technology for raw materials processing and utilization. That is one way that we can rely on each other and achieve results that can be mutually beneficial to all.” the DG said.
Speaking earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of MOUAU, Comrade Fidelis Edeh, extolled the virtues of the RMRDC DG saying his appointment as DG of the most impactful research and development organization in the area of raw materials development and utilization, RMRDC, was a master stroke by President Tinubu especially for the actualization of the Renewed Hope Agenda. He stated that Prof Ike-Muonso’s appointment was apt as it is strategic given the DG’s predilection for perfection, innovativeness, and educational pedigree.
Join Us for the
Africa Raw Materials Summit 2025
Comrade Fidelis Edeh noted that a partnership between MOUAU and RMRDC was crucial for the development of the agricultural sector as a major contributor to the nation’s Domestic Gross Product (GDP). While noting that there existed a long-lasting working relationship between MOUAU and the RMRDC, he noted that a new collaboration will kick-start a renewed vigor in the promotion of the nation’s agricultural sector through scientific research and development for which the university is renowned. He further urged the Council to assist MOUAU reenact what it stands for as an institution renowned for what Michael Okpara, whose name the University bears, stood for in the eastern region – Agriculture.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Iwe while thanking the DG for the warm reception accorded them, raised the issue of funding as a constraint hampering the activities of the university. He solicited for support to enable the University embark on more research and development programmes to develop more innovation and higher quality research outputs that will aid the development and value addition of agricultural industrial inputs to put the nation on the map of industrialized economies.
Also speaking, the Director of Agriculture and Agricultural Materials Development Department (AAMDD), Dr. Sab Ebiriekwe, said the proposed partnership should be exploited to develop some of the crops known to thrive in the Eastern Region
“The partnership can be used to develop some crops that are unique to the Eastern region, some of which have been neglected and even going extinct. If the University can come up with certain proposals that will lead to the development of certain economical industrial viable crops that can emanate from this region, the Council can have a clearer focus regarding the collaboration. It will guide the Council’s activities and shape the partnership,” He intoned.
The proposed partnership between RMRDC and MOUAU is being envisaged as part of a collective effort and commitment towards delivering and harnessing innovation for agricultural transformation which can only be achieved by combining research expertise and academic rigor, to develop homegrown solutions to tackle agricultural challenges, ensuring food security, and fostering economic growth
You Might AlsoLike
