The first cycle of the 3-cycle project in the Aquaculture scheme of the 2023 British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) Agricultural Entrepreneurship grant has been brought to a close.
The slots for Aquaculture went to Ms Christianah Olufemi and Ms Sarah O. Ogboye, who are both graduates of the University of Ibadan.
The two awardees were effectively mobilized in February 2024 to begin the preliminary works making use of the existing ponds at the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management in the University.
They stocked the ponds with juveniles in March 2024 and nurtured the stock for 11 weeks.
The harvest from the ponds took place on 21 May 2024 in the presence of representatives of the BATNF, and the sizes of the fish were adjudged commendable.
The processing aspect of the project began in earnest, immediately after the harvest, and this hopefully will be concluded within the week of 27-30 June 2024.
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According to the Dean of Renewable Natural Resources, Professor Adejoke Akinyele, the call for applications for the 2023 grant was sent out on 22 August 2023 with the deadline for expression of interest and willingness to participate in the project slated for Friday, 01 September 2023.
Criteria for the selection of applicants included:
●Applicants must be University of Ibadan graduates
●Applicants for Crop and Livestock must have finished from the Faculty of Agriculture
●Applicants for Aquaculture must have finished from the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources.
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Six candidates were available to make presentations, and the pitches were adjudged good, but there were only four (4) awards available for 2023, two for Aquaculture and two for Agriculture.
