Date: 2012-07-09

THE partnership that Kwara State needed to take agribusiness to the next level finally came underway with the presentation and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the Cornell University of New York during the week. This has authenticated the Kwara state Agriculture Masterplan (KAMP), setting it up for execution to commence under the Cornell University World class technical expertise.

To power this bold initiative on commercial agriculture, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who led the Kwara delegation to the presentation of the KAMP document and the signing of the MoU in New York, put pen to paper under the watchful eyes of Professor W. Ronnie Coffman, Cornell's Director of International Programme, who signed for the University.

In a release, 'the document presents a clear road map for the expansion, funding and impact of commercial agriculture in the state for the next five years.'

After three months of collaborative research by Cornell Professors and their Nigerian counterparts led by the Vice Chancellor of Kwara state University, Professor Abdulrasheed Na'Allah, the roadmap became a working document written to firm up the leading position of the state in the business of agriculture in the country.

The significance of the Kwara venture played up at the ceremony as Cornell University's Professor Coffman said Kwara made history by being the first state government in the world to succeed in partnering with the university, which is renowned globally for its expertise in agriculture.

"It is the first time this university is signing a MoU with any state government. We are proud of this partnership and we are confident that the MoU will produce good results, "he said.

To bring the matters in the document to realisation, Governor Ahmed pledged to translate its content to tangible form in which farmers and stakeholders and the nation in general would benefit down the entire value chain.

Making Kwara the agriculture hub of West Africa is the Governor's goal therefore, he stressed that his administration would go beyond the conventional system of measuring input, output and the impact primarily on the citizens of the state and other stakeholders.

The governor praised the pioneering efforts of his predecessor, Senator Bukola Saraki, in commercial agriculture, noting that the opportunity of continuity in governance in the state has made it possible for him to build on the foundation already laid.

In his goodwill message, Senator Saraki commended the Ahmed administration for producing KAMP, expressing confidence that Gov. Ahmed, having served under the immediate past administration as Commissioner for Finance and later Economic Development, understands the vision and benefits of the agricultural revolution in Nigeria of which Kwara is in the forefront.

Impressed by the lofty ideas of KAMP and the signing of an MoU to drive its implementation, the Director of USAID in Nigeria, Ms Sharon Pauling, who attended the signing ceremony, pledged support for the programme.

According to Ms Pauling, "We are looking into having a partnership with Kwara on rice and fish production. We are expecting to see Kwara as a leader in our drive to support food production in Nigeria," the USAID head said.

At the signing ceremony were members of the diplomatic community in New York, leading members of the Kwara State Association of Nigeria, North American chapter (KSANG) and top officials of Cornell University, the release said.