The Federal Polytechnic Idah has achieved a major milestone in agricultural innovation with the successful first harvest of habanero peppers from its World Bank-supported greenhouse project under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) programme.
The harvest marks a significant step in the institution’s efforts to promote practical agricultural education, research and food security.
Speaking during the harvest, Mr. Samson Mopeh Benu, who represented the ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Barrister Ladi Ahmed Jato (OON), said the visit was to witness the success of the project and encourage the institution to sustain the initiative.
He explained that the greenhouse project was established to provide staff and students with hands-on agricultural experience that can be replicated on their individual farms to enhance food production.
Benu noted that the greenhouse project, facilitated by Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo under the ACReSAL programme, is expected to become fully operational under the institution’s management after completion.
He added that selected staff and students have already undergone training and will oversee the facility when it is officially handed over by the contractor.
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Idah, Dr. Y. B. Usman, expressed gratitude to Governor Ododo for facilitating the project, describing it as a valuable investment in education and agricultural development.
According to the Rector, the greenhouse has created practical learning opportunities for students and staff while demonstrating the institution’s commitment to modern agricultural practices through the successful cultivation and harvest of habanero peppers.
Dr. Usman also appealed to the state government to facilitate additional developmental projects for the institution, stressing that such interventions would further strengthen agricultural research, practical training and sustainable food production.
