TCoEFS Concludes Four-Day Capacity Building Workshop with Renewed Commitment to Excellence

TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security Concludes Four-Day Capacity Building Workshop with Renewed Commitment to Excellence and Sustainability

The TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security (TCoEFS), University of Jos, successfully concluded its Four-Day Capacity Building Workshop on Thursday, 25th September 2025, at Miango Rest Home, Jos, Plateau State. The final day focused on consolidation, networking, and action planning, marking the close of an intensive training and strategic realignment programme designed to reposition the Centre for greater institutional impact.

Day Four featured interactive sessions on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), strategic planning, and thematic group presentations, where participants outlined actionable programmes and income-generating ideas aligned with the Centre's mandate on teaching, research, innovation, and sustainability.

Each thematic team presented its roadmap:

• Agricultural Economics, Extension & Communication Team proposed postgraduate programmes such as Agricultural Communications & Innovation, Agricultural Economics & Innovations, and Green & Sustainable Agricultural Economics, alongside short courses in Agricultural Enterprise Development, Gender & Social Inclusion, and Agricultural Data Science.
• Animal Sciences Team outlined plans for programmes in Livestock Production & Animal Health Technology, Veterinary Extension Innovations, and Sustainable Aquaculture, complemented by IGR ventures like feed production, yoghurt processing, and laboratory services.
• Crop Sciences Team proposed courses in Sustainable Seed Science, Climate-Smart Crop Production, and Regenerative Agriculture, alongside short courses on Integrated Pest Management and Organic Farming.
• Environmental Sciences Team recommended postgraduate programmes in Climate Change & Sustainable Food Security and Disaster Management in Agriculture, highlighting the Centre's multidisciplinary approach to food systems.

A special virtual session was delivered by Professor Olukayode Akinyemi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), who emphasized the importance of collaboration across thematic areas, international partnerships, and focus on DLI-driven performance. He encouraged the Centre to actively attract international students and funding opportunities to elevate its global profile.

In his closing remarks, the Director of TCoEFS, Professor Dauda Bitrus Bawa, expressed profound appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tanko Ishaya, for his leadership and institutional support, and to the resource persons — Professor Adeboye O. Fafiolu, Professor Olukayode Akinyemi, and Dr. Comfort Ochepo — for their invaluable contributions to the success of the workshop.

Professor Bawa reaffirmed that the workshop had successfully achieved its objectives of repositioning the Centre for measurable impact, adding that the insights gained would guide immediate action on postgraduate programme development, IGR projects, and research commercialization.

The closing ceremony featured the presentation of Certificates of Participation, distribution of University-branded souvenirs, and an official group photograph to commemorate the event.

A post-workshop survey conducted at the end of the programme revealed over 90% participant satisfaction, with strong commendation for the workshop's relevance, quality of facilitation, and practical focus. Participants described the training as "transformational," noting that it provided clarity, motivation, and strategic direction for the Centre's next phase.

The event concluded with a resounding commitment by all participants to translate the workshop outcomes into tangible results and to drive the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security toward teaching, research, and innovation excellence that advances Nigeria's food security agenda.