Gombe Federal College Of HorticultureTo Embark On Agro-Allied Commercial Ventures By Kalshingi H Jedidah
Cash strapped Federal College of Horticulture Technology (FCH), Gombe has planned to embark on agro-allied commercial ventures in order to generate more revenue to augment available resources so as to fast track the development of the institution.
This has become necessary because “revenue from the government is dwindling and the release is also dwindling.”
The new Provost of the institution, Professor Fatima Sawa spoke yesterday during a parley with media practitioners in the state.
She said her plan is to propel the College to an excellent horticultural centre for the promotion of horticultural knowledge to an acceptable international practice.
She said the revenue generation plan would commence with this year’s dry season farming on vegetables s well as expansion of the institution’s poultry production fishery units.
She said other ventures include partnering with development partners across the globe, strengthening relationship with immediate community, ensuring proper link with the world through infotech as well as train and re-train staff.
On reducing unemployment, Prof Sawa said the Federal College of Horticulture Technology would be introducing short term courses for graduates to learn some skills in agriculture through which they could become self-dependent financially.
She said students of the College on the other hand would be introduced to business ventures in their various areas of study to ensure all round grooming.
Timothy Choji, Chairman of Gombe State Correspondents Chapel advised the management of FCH on the need to study centres across the state and beyond.
He said: “Spreading out will create further awareness on horticulture and how people can benefit from it to better their lives and the country.”
Professor Sawa assumed duty on January 5, 2015 as the third substantive Provost of the Federal College of Horticulture Technology which is the first of its kind in Sub-Sahara Africa.
