The Agricultural and Social Entrepreneurship Foundation (ASEF Int’l) has partnered with Ignatius Ajuru University of Education to advance agricultural research, food security and entrepreneurship through its Project Waste4Meal initiative.
President of ASEF Intl, Commander Azeez Oluwole, disclosed this during the signing of a partnership agreement with the university on October 8, 2026.
Oluwole described the collaboration as a major milestone in efforts to improve food production and develop sustainable alternatives for animal feed.
Oluwole explained that Project Waste4Meal was designed as an integrated agricultural ecosystem that combines commercial production, processing, research, education and enterprise development, with black soldier fly farming serving as one of its key components.
Under the initiative, organic waste would be converted into useful resources through insect farming, producing protein for animal feed and organic fertiliser for crop cultivation.
The model is also designed to support poultry farming, aquaculture, greenhouse cultivation and other related agricultural production and processing activities.
He stressed that the project’s potential lay in connecting practical agricultural production with scientific research, skills development and entrepreneurship, allowing knowledge generated across different components to strengthen the entire value chain.
According to the organizers, the partnership provides a framework for the establishment of demonstration facilities, applied research programmes, student training and agricultural businesses.
It also includes provisions for internships, technology validation and enterprise incubation to equip students with practical skills and expose them to opportunities in the agricultural sector.
A key component of the collaboration is the Seed to Success Agripreneur Program, which seeks to guide participants from foundational learning and practical experience to business development, mentorship and investment readiness.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Okechukwu Onuchukwu, welcomed the partnership while emphasising the importance of commercialising agricultural knowledge and exposing students to real-life production activities.
Onuchukwu said practical experience could help students identify viable business opportunities after graduation, while contributing to job creation and food security.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of ASEF, Mrs Rosemary Adebayo, urged agricultural students to recognise their potential as agropreneurs and active contributors to food production, stressing the need to link academic training with practical enterprise development.
The Coordinator and State Manager of Safe Nest Cooperative, Mr Inene Dan, described the proposed demonstration farm as an opportunity for students to understand how agricultural enterprises operate beyond classroom instruction.
He noted that exposure to practical farming activities could help students appreciate the processes involved in establishing and managing sustainable agricultural businesses.
For Oluwole and ASEF, the agreement has established an institutional framework for translating the Waste4Meal concept into practical programmes that combine agricultural innovation, environmental sustainability and economic opportunities.
However, the implementation of the initiative will depend on approved work plans, available resources and the relevant university approvals.
He said the success of the collaboration will ultimately be measured by its ability to establish functional facilities, deliver meaningful research outcomes and create tangible training and enterprise opportunities for students, agricultural producers and communities around the university.