Nigeria And Cameroon Strengthen Agricultural And Research Collaboration

The Adamawa State Government of Nigeria has called for enhanced collaboration on agricultural value chain technology between Nigeria and Cameroon to improve food production, processing, and storage.

 

State Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, made this appeal while receiving the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maroua, Professor Idrissu Alioum, alongside his counterpart from Modibbo Adama University, Professor Ibrahim Umar.

 

She emphasized the need for both institutions to develop innovative agricultural technologies that would benefit local farmers in both nations.

 

Professor Farauta also highlighted the urgency of addressing the shrinking Lake Chad and other water bodies due to climate change, stressing that both countries must work together to mitigate the impact on agriculture and livelihoods.

 

”It is important to establish stronger linkages between our two countries through academic institutions to tackle our shared constraints. As an institution, we are aligning with government efforts to find sustainable solutions,” she stated.

 

As Chairperson of the State Boundary Committee, the Deputy Governor also underscored the importance of cross-border exchange programs between the universities, adding that the initiative would benefit citizens of both countries.

 

She reiterated the government’s commitment to resolving border issues amicably.

 

Expanding Academic and Research Cooperation

 

Earlier, Professor Idrissu Alioum, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maroua, stated that the visit aimed to strengthen an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering student mobility, academic staff exchange, joint workshops, and conferences.

 

He noted that the collaboration would also involve the American University of Nigeria (AUN) and the Federal College of Education (FCE) Yola, enabling cross-fertilization of ideas in research and development.

 

Similarly, Professor Ibrahim Umar, Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University, emphasized that Nigeria and Cameroon share common borders, cultural similarities, and economic ties. He stressed that both countries must collaborate on issues such as security, climate change, and sustainable resource management.

 

”Through joint research, our institutions can contribute to policy planning and program development, addressing key challenges such as migration, border security, trade, environmental resource management, and climate crisis response,” he said.

 

This renewed collaboration between Nigeria and Cameroon through academic institutions is expected to foster innovation in agriculture, enhance bilateral relations, and tackle shared socio-economic and environmental challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oyenike Oyeniyi