By Ikenna Nwokedi
The Centre for Agripreneur and Cooperative Research/Practices (CACORP) Management board on Tuesday, 27th August, 2024 paid a courtesy visit to UNIZIK Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Carol Arinze-Umobi.
In a brief remark and formal introduction by the Chairman of board and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Joseph Ikechebelu stated that the visit was to inform the Acting Vice-Chancellor about the group, its activities and the efforts made by the previous administration in creating a demonstration farm geared towards putting into practice agricultural trends.
On her part, the Director of CACORP, Dr. Nma Okechukwu Okoroji informed that the centre was approved on the 6th of March 2024 at the 224th Senate meeting. The scholar informed that the centre wants to ensure that students don’t just learn about agric but have a place where they can practicalize what they have learnt in the classroom which is why it is driven with cooperative model.
Dr. Okoroji affirmed that the centre has a vision of becoming a global trailblazer in Agricpreneurship driving the innovation in sustainable agriculture to create opportunities for other institutions to come and leverage on what UNIZIK has done. She also informed that Agripreneur incorporates production, processing, packaging and marketing while also disclosing that the Centre has kick-started the demonstration farm at UNIZIK despite the centre just being two months old.
Responding, UNIZIK Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Carol Arinze-Umobi thanked the team for the viisit. The Ag. VC expressed her delight with the Agripreneur project promising her full support in allocation of land for Sustainable Agriculture and provision of office space for administrative purposes.
In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the board, Mrs Nkiru Nonyelu thanked the Acting Vice-Chancellor for finding time to receive them. She stated that the centre will continue to work hard in promoting agricultural practice and making the institution a hub for food production.
Also present during the visit were the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Cordelia Ebenebe; Head of Cooperative Economics and Management, Dr. Nkechi Ojiagu as well as Prof. Frank Nwankwo.
