By SEGUN GIWA

Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has approved the conversion of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, to a University of Agriculture and Agribusiness.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, announced this on Wednesday in a statement in Akure.

The statement said the decision followed a review of the initial proposal for the upgrade of the polytechnic to a university of management science and technology by the former administration.

According to the statement, the school will be the model for the agriculture and food security revolution initiative of the state government.

It said that a committee would be set up by the government to work out the modalities for the implementation of the conversion.

?This is to ensure that this will not have any negative effects on the current students and staff of the institution,? it said.

According to the statement, the governor also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and a private investor to inject N15 billion into a youth-oriented agriculture initiative.

It noted that the MoU was an agreement for the establishment and operation of the Young Ranchers Agricultural Cluster Development Programme between the government and AgroMall Discovery and Extension Limited.

It added that the Initiative would focus on practical farming for young people and practical training for students in agriculture and agric related operations.

The statement said the company would make use of five hectares of land in each of the three approved clusters in the state.

?Using three higher institutions, including the newly upgraded RUGIPO, as host pilot beneficiaries,? it said.

It added that aside from training of the students, each of the institutions to be used as hosts also would benefit a percentage from the proceeds of the operations. (NAN)