By Doris Onyekachi
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) is strengthening its agricultural drive by turning its farms into centres for food production, practical learning and economic opportunity.
Under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, the university has expanded agricultural activities across its farm facilities, with recent developments showing a growing focus on sustainable food production and hands on training.
A visit to the university farm behind Emelda Hostel revealed an impressive range of ongoing agricultural activities. The farm currently has about 20,000 stands of habanero pepper, with harvesting already in its fourth week. The crop is yielding more than 400kg of pepper weekly.
The farm’s nursery also has more than 10,000 moringa seedlings being prepared for transplantation to a one hectare moringa farm. Other crops include plantain on more than two hectares, as well as watermelon, tomatoes and sweet cucumber. Six greenhouses further support controlled and year round production.
Beyond the crops and harvests, the initiative is creating opportunities for students, particularly those in the Faculty of Agriculture, to gain practical experience that complements classroom learning.
Through direct involvement in farming activities, students are exposed to modern production techniques, innovation, enterprise development and sustainable agricultural practices. The approach provides them with practical skills that can be applied beyond the university environment.
The university’s agricultural expansion also reflects the broader need to reconnect education with food production and economic development. Agriculture, once a major driver of Nigeria’s economy, remains critical to addressing food security, employment and livelihood challenges.
Under Prof. Omenugha’s administration, the university is pursuing partnerships and collaborations aimed at translating academic knowledge into practical agricultural projects that benefit both the institution and its surrounding communities.
With activities spanning cassava, catfish, vegetables, pepper, plantain, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, moringa and greenhouse farming, COOU is demonstrating how a university can contribute beyond the classroom.
The initiative is not only about producing food. It is about equipping students with practical skills, promoting entrepreneurship, creating opportunities and contributing to the wider goal of food security.
Doris Onyekachi is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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