A former Director in the Directorate of Environmental Management at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Dr. Akinpelu Basiru Ojo, has called for the transformation of university farms into innovation centres that drive food production, entrepreneurship, and revenue generation.

Ojo made the call at the 2026 Pre-Season Farming Seminar organised by the Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS), held recently at FUNAAB, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Speaking on the theme, “The University Farm as an Incubation Ground for Innovation and Revenue Generation,” he said university farms have moved beyond traditional teaching roles to become hubs for research, agribusiness, and industry collaboration.

He noted that key areas for innovation include research and development, student entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

According to him, university farms should actively explore commercial agriculture, agro-processing, consultancy services, research partnerships, agritourism, and intellectual property commercialisation to boost productivity and generate sustainable revenue.

Ojo also highlighted major challenges facing university farms, including inadequate funding, weak industry linkages, climate change risks, and limited commercial orientation.

To address these issues, he recommended agribusiness models, modern farming technologies, stronger partnerships, student-led enterprises, and improved value chain development.

He further urged the institution to revive underutilised crops, establish crop collection plots, and explore cashew nutshell liquid production, alongside expanding cashew and oil palm plantations for increased revenue.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, who declared the seminar open, stressed the importance of collaboration, continuous learning, and community engagement in achieving institutional goals.

He praised DUFARMS for its value addition efforts and encouraged expansion in livestock production, including poultry, beef, pork, and egg value chains, to enhance the university’s impact.

The seminar ended with participants reaffirming their commitment to reposition DUFARMS as a centre for innovation, practical training, and sustainable agricultural development.