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BY ABU-SATAR HAMED
IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA – The Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan (FCAIB) has received 30 trainees for a compulsory three-month internship programme under the Federal Government’s IDEAS/TVET training scheme in Crop Production.
According to a release e-signed and made available to StarTrend Int’l Magazine by the Head of the College’s Public Relations Department, Mrs. Wilson Oyekemi, the trainees were formally welcomed in February during a brief ceremony coordinated by the Head of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) Unit, Dr. (Mrs.) Oyeyemi Oni, who represented the Provost, Prof. Jonathan J. Atungwu.
The internship programme is organised in partnership with Jolap Business Venture Limited in collaboration with the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT).
The government-driven IDEAS/TVET initiative, implemented alongside NIHORT, focuses primarily on cereal crop production.
According to the trainees, the programme commenced in November 2025 with three months of intensive classroom instruction covering key aspects of cereal production.
The training structure comprises three months of theoretical learning followed by a compulsory three-month practical internship.
Their posting to FCAIB, the trainees explained, is intended to provide hands-on experience and broaden their exposure beyond cereal crops to other agricultural enterprises.
During the internship, participants are expected to apply their classroom knowledge to practical agricultural activities, including the cultivation and management of maize, rice, sorghum, millet and other cereal crops.
Addressing the trainees, Dr. Oni urged them to demonstrate dedication, discipline and genuine interest throughout their stay at the College.
She emphasised that agriculture remains a critical driver of national development and encouraged them to maximise the opportunity. She also advised the trainees to report for practical sessions with their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Field activities commenced on the second day of the programme at the College’s Organic Farm, where the trainees were received by the Acting Head of the Department of Organic Agricultural Technology, Mr. J. A. Adedeji, who assigned a technologist in the department, Mr. Taiwo Afolabi, to supervise their practical training.
Mr. Afolabi provided hands-on instruction on land preparation techniques, including land clearing, soil watering, bed formation and the application of organic manure ahead of planting Corchorus olitorius (ewedu) and Amaranthus viridis (efo tete).
He informed the trainees that they would work on the crops for two weeks before proceeding to other crop enterprises.
The trainees, escorted by Engr. Odeyemi J.O. of NIHORT, expressed appreciation to the Provost and Management of the College for the opportunity, describing the experience as enriching.
They commended the institution for providing a conducive environment that enhances practical agricultural skills and knowledge acquisition.
