A Nigerian firm, Silagreen International Agro Development Limited, and a Brazil-based University of Zebu Breeders Association (ABCZ), have underscored the need for national food security.

They also expressed their commitment to the establishment of the Educational Foundation for the Development of Agricultural Sciences (FUNDAGRI) and the Associated Colleges of UBERABA-FAZU to boost food security through improved dairy production, especially cattle.

Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Michael Olusegun Akinruli, who disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, noted that following their conviction, his firm had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Brazil-based University of Zebu Breeders Association on the need for an educational foundation for agricultural sciences.

He said that the synergy was facilitated by the company’s Brazilian partner, ZEBUEMBRYO Company, describing the MoU also as a strategic cooperation in terms of cultural and scientific education transfer for both countries. He added that it would improve the skills of Nigerian graduates, undergraduates and boost specialisation in relevant courses.

According to him, the beneficiaries will undergo structured courses that will sharpen their skills in cattle production and introduce them to new technologies and modern practices.

Besides, he said that the technology transfer would be helpful to the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development. Akinruli said: “We have done it in such a way that we’ve tailored-made the courses of the programme. The courses will be short ones, and in categories of one month, three months and six months, offered by this university in Brazil. It is going to be provided in a hybrid format. Part of it will be online from Nigeria and the students are now meant to come to Brazil to finalise the training. The university we are talking about is the University of Cattle in Brazil.

“In Brazil, there’s the University of Cattle, where all the courses they offer and the programmes are all around cattle nutrition, cattle genetics improvement and livestock generally.”

Meanwhile, Chairman of the firm, Dr Amos Aderemi Ayodele, called on the federal, state, local governments and agricultural organisations in Nigeria to take advantage of the knowledge and technology transfer opportunity.

According to him, collaboration with Brazil is very significant as Brazil is the largest beef producer in the world. “In order to meet part of our national livestock needs, we in Silagreen Agro decided to take the bull by the horns to revolutionise the livestock industry,” he said.

Also, the Technical Director of the firm, Adeola Adesote, said the MoU would address the lack of competency in the livestock industry in Nigeria. Adesote, who lamented that competence was lacking in the livestock industry in Nigeria, expressed confidence that with the MoU, the deficiency would be eliminated, especially in the management of ruminant livestock.