TCoEFS Focuses on Strategic Planning and DLI Implementation on Day Three

TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security Focuses on Strategic Planning and DLI Implementation on Day Three

The third day of the Four-Day Capacity Building Workshop of the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security (TCoEFS), University of Jos, held on Wednesday, 24th September 2025, was dedicated to strategic planning, implementation review, and Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs). The day's activities combined field engagement, technical sessions, and practical planning designed to translate the workshop's insights into actionable outcomes.

The programme began with a field visit to the Miango Rest Home (MRH) Farm, where participants observed ongoing vegetable production and irrigation systems. The MRH Manager explained that the farm had successfully built a small dam for year-round water supply, supporting sustainable crop production. Professor Adeboye O. Fafiolu, one of the workshop's resource persons, commended the innovation and recommended that TCoEFS collaborate with MRH to establish a battery cage fish farming system (fish cage culture) in the dam. He noted that such a partnership would strengthen the Centre's demonstration capacity and create an additional income-generating stream.

In response, the Director, Professor Dauda Bitrus Bawa, welcomed the proposal and expressed readiness to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MRH to formalize the partnership.

Returning to the plenary session, Dr. Comfort Ochepo, the TETFund Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Representative, led a comprehensive review of the TCoEFS Implementation Plan (2021–2025). She noted that while the Centre had developed a sound strategic framework, progress in execution remained limited, with only a few months left before the plan's expiration in December 2025.

Dr. Ochepo emphasized the need for practical, time-bound, and measurable actions aligned with the TETFund performance framework. She urged the Centre to focus on activities that can deliver visible results within the short term, particularly in greenhouse farming, poultry rearing, short course development, and postgraduate programme initiation.

Her specific recommendations included:

• Commencing bell pepper production in the greenhouse, targeting harvest by December 2025;
• Launching the poultry project with clear management and tracking systems;
• Compiling and advertising short professional courses aligned with agricultural innovation and food security;
• Developing curricula for at least three postgraduate programmes, ensuring prompt approval by the School of Postgraduate Studies;
• Improving the Centre's website visibility and branding to enhance its professional outlook; and
• Encouraging staff to publish under the Centre's name to boost academic visibility and recognition.

Participants also engaged in practical group sessions to align their thematic areas with the DLI framework. The day ended with the drafting of specific timelines and monitoring mechanisms to ensure accountability in implementation.

Overall, Day Three was marked by deep reflection and strategic planning, with participants acknowledging the urgency of achieving measurable progress. The Centre's leadership reaffirmed its commitment to meeting key deliverables before December 2025 and to sustaining momentum toward institutional excellence and sustainability.

The workshop continues with Day Four, focusing on consolidation, networking, and future directions for the Centre.