Andre Zandstra, Global Director, Innovative Finance and Resource Mobilization at the CGIAR System Management Office, visited the IITA–STEP Agribusiness Facility in Fasola, Oyo State, during his visit to the IITA headquarters in Ibadan recently. He was received by the students, STEP teachers, school administration, and members of the STEP team at Fasola Grammar School, Oyo.

While touring some of the facilities, which included the Processing Centre, ICT room, training room, broilers’ and layers’ pens, the screen house, School Hall, classrooms, and Central Science Laboratory, Zandstra expressed delight and commended the impact the facilities are having in the learning process of the students.
A STEP representative gave a brief background on the program’s success stories and how it has impacted the students, schools, and community, and added that this gave birth to the STEP-Oyo partnership, which operates in 10 schools in the state. The school principal, Mr Lamidi Abolaji, described how the project has increased enrollment in the school, adding that “Fasola community is developing into a ‘semi-urban’ environment due to the intervention of STEP and IITA.”

Zandstra revealed that he was surprised by the impact of modern agricultural equipment, small-scale farm machines, and digital tools on the students and other beneficiaries. He also expressed gladness at the increase in student enrollment because of the program.
“The STEP activities, model, and technologies are an incredible opportunity for students, and it’s wonderful to see the project’s impact in secondary schools. It’s amazing”, he said.
After his visit, Zandstra remarked, “One of the many highlights was the visit to the Start Them Early Program and Oyo Youth Agribusiness Park – a model for other CGIAR Centers.”
Contributed by Jesutofunmi Robinson
Contribué par
Histoires récentes