The Tertiary Education Trust Fund ( TETFund) has partnered Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa( FARA ) to establish and launch Agricultural Research and Innovation Fellowship For Africa (ARIFA)innovation platform in Nigeria.
ARIFA is aimed towards producing a new generation of fit-for purpose workforce to re-engineer the African agri-food sector to provide the change factor for rapid agricultural transformation in the next 10years.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sunny Echono during his opening remark at the event in Abuja, explained that the Fund’s intervention in ARIFA will impact on faculties and departments across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions resulting in the delivery of science -led solutions for improved livelihoods while sustaining and advancing academic excellence.
Echono added that the pre- admission process of the second phase of the Program has since commenced, with TETFund committed to supporting another 500 sets of fellows.
Also speaking, Executive Director for FARA, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, said Agriculture is so crucial to the development of Africa, noting that more than 80percent of the working population, in the continent derive their livelihood from the sector.
TETFund has supported over 120 scholars nominated by beneficiary institutions for the ARIFA project.
