UNIZIK Pledges Commitment to a Successful Maiden Agrivoltaics Conference in Nigeria

By Olisemeka Obeche

The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has re-iterated its commitment to providing an enabling environment and partnership in the maiden Agrivoltaics Conference in Nigeria.

The assurance was made on Monday, February 17 when a delegation of LIFEWS Foundation, organizers of the conference paid a courtesy visit to the school.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, made the pledge while welcoming delegation from the lifews Foundation, organizers of the maiden Agrivoltaics Conference slated to hold on March 26-27, 2025 at the ASUU Secretariat, UNIZIK, Awka.

The Ag. Vice Chancellor, represented by Dr. Nma Okechukwu Okoroji, Director Center for Agripreneur and Cooperative Research/Practice (CACORP) thanked LIFEWS Foundation for choosing the institution to host the maiden Agrivoltaics Conference in Nigeria.

Dr. Okoroji disclosed that the University Management had already given directives to various faculties and staff members concerned to work with the Conference organizers to ensure a seamless event.

“We consider this a golden opportunity that God has given us through LIFEWS Foundation, in bringing this conference to our institution. On behalf of the Vice Chancellor, I want to say welcome. You can be assured that the Ag. Vice Chancellor is ready to be part of this. Agrivoltaics is a new technology, innovative branch of agriculture and getting involved in this project will really bring a lot of opportunities to the university. I want to also assure you that you will not regret introducing this novel technology to this university.”

She further expressed the readiness of the University in collaborating with LIFEWS Foundation in the implementation of the pilot Agrivoltaics project after the conference.

Dr. Okoroji disclosed that the school have a similar demonstration farm inside the main campus, as well as large expanse of land at Ifite-Ogwari and Umueje communities in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State where the Agrivoltaics site could be situated.

Earlier in his introductory remarks, the Program Coordinator, Agrivoltaic Initiative in Nigeria and leader of the delegation, Dr. Ikechukwu Kingsley Agu, explained that as the host institution for the maiden conference on Agrivoltaics in Nigeria, UNIZIK is expected to play a key part in successful conference and subsequently during the project’s implementation phase.

“We are looking at how the institution could partner with us to ensure that students and lecturers in the university can benefit from this conference. It has both research and community empowerment dimensions”, Dr. Agu noted.

“We know that UNIZIK has enough land at its Ifite-Ogwari campus, where this technology can be demonstrated during the pilot phase.

“So, we want to see how the university could partner by sponsoring their postgraduate students and teachers in subscribing to the Conference. We could also sign an MoU with the university after the conference and engage in training of Postgraduate students and teachers of the school in Agrivoltaic technology within and outside Nigeria”.

The team were later taken to the CACORP’s demonstration farm where it was discovered that drought was affecting crops planted at the farm.

A visibly disappointed Mrs. Okoroji, while inspecting the crops, expressed her readiness to work with LIFEWS Foundation to demonstrate a successful outcome of the conference and pilot project implementation.

The delegation from LIFEWS Foundation in attendance included Dr. Ikechukwu Kingsley Agu, Prof. Francis C. Eze, Chairperson, Risk Assessment and Strategic Sponsorship Planning, Dr. Akudo Ogechukwu Onunwa, Lead, Soil Science and Sustainable Agriculture, Dr. Chinwe Alazor, Deputy Chairperson, Donor Engagement and Sponsorship Coordination and Chief Olisemeka Obeche, Head Media and Publicity.