The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State is collaborating with the United States’ Soybean Export Council (USSEC) to boost production of Soybean in the country.

This step is aimed at curtailing protein deficiency in the country.

The university, through the Agricultural Media and Extension Centre (AMREC), has the track record of successful collaboration with Nestle Nigeria Plc on Soybean production in the Southwest.

Receiving the USSEC team, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Felix Salako disclosed that the University has suitable landmass for Soybean cultivation, available training facilities and qualified personnel to execute the project.

The Vice-Chancellor, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Morenike Dipeolu, who went down memory lane on the various landmark collaborations of FUNAAB, thanked the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo State, which actively supported the University in Soybean research, and cassava flash dryer development.

The Senior Director of USSEC, Mr. Ed Beaman said the primary responsibility of USSEC is to develop an emerging market for Soybean use, stressing that the US export body is the international marketing arm with offices in more than 70 different countries.

He added that USSEC had embarked on the strategic vision, which led them to visit Nigeria and other countries.

Beaman lamented that protein deficiency is a huge problem in many developing countries and emphasised that the major reason for the intervention is to evolve ways of overcoming protein deficiency by creating a system of protein-pull through the value chain, stressing that USSEC would embark on information and media campaign to attain the desired goal.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN