By Felix-Joe Chibunkem

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) is steadily expanding its agricultural activities, with large-scale cultivation of crops and other farm projects positioning the institution as an emerging hub for food production, practical agricultural education and food security.

The development comes under the administration of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, whose administration has increasingly placed agriculture at the centre of the university’s development strategy.

The university’s agricultural drive dates back several years. In October 2024, COOU had cultivated almost 10 hectares of cassava, signalling what would later become a broader agricultural initiative.

By September 2025, the university had expanded into vegetable production, pepper, catfish and other agricultural ventures, reinforcing its commitment to using its land and resources for production while providing practical learning opportunities for students.

A recent visit by members of the university’s Public Relations team to the agricultural project behind Emelda Hostel revealed the growing scale of the initiative.

At the farm, about 20,000 stands of Habanero pepper are currently being cultivated, with harvesting already underway. The farm is reportedly capable of producing more than 400 kilogrammes of pepper weekly.

The pepper farm was in its fourth week of harvest during the visit, with the crops described as healthy and thriving.

Beyond pepper production, the university is also preparing more than 10,000 Moringa seedlings for transplantation to a one-hectare Moringa farm.

The agricultural project also includes a plantain plantation spanning more than two hectares, as well as cultivation of watermelon, tomatoes and sweet cucumber. Six greenhouses are also supporting various agricultural activities within the university.

The development, according to observers, reflects a deliberate effort by the university to move beyond theoretical agricultural education to practical production and innovation.

For students, particularly those in the Faculty of Agriculture, the farms provide opportunities for hands-on training and exposure to modern agricultural practices.

The initiative also has the potential to contribute to food availability within and beyond the university community, as agricultural products harvested from the farms can enter the market while supporting the institution’s broader sustainability objectives.

The university’s agricultural expansion is being driven not only through direct cultivation but also through partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding aimed at translating agricultural plans into practical projects.

The growing range of agricultural activities—from cassava and catfish to pepper, plantain, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber and Moringa—suggests the emergence of what could become an integrated agricultural ecosystem within COOU.

Under Omenugha’s leadership, agriculture is therefore increasingly becoming part of the university’s institutional identity—not merely as an academic discipline, but as a vehicle for production, innovation, practical learning and food security.

With the scale of the ongoing projects, COOU appears to be positioning itself to play a significant role in the renewed push for agricultural development and food security, while demonstrating how universities can combine education with productive enterprise.