FUNAAB Plants 3,000 Tree Seedlings in Latest Environmental Sustainability Effort
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has taken another significant step towards environmental sustainability by planting 3,000 tree seedlings on its campus.
UBA CHIDINMA 
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has taken another significant step towards environmental sustainability by planting 3,000 tree seedlings on its campus. The initiative, which took place on September 6, 2024, was made possible through donations from First Bank and American Tower Corporation, facilitated by the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF).
The tree species planted include 1,400 Terminalia Superba (Afara/Yellow Pine), 900 Parkia biglobosa (Iru/Locust Beans), and 700 Khaya Ivorensis (Oganwo/Mahogany). Speaking during the tree-planting event, Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, expressed gratitude to the donors and reaffirmed the University’s dedication to nurturing the seedlings to maturity.
Prof. Kehinde highlighted the University's broader goal of becoming a center for innovation and sustainable progress. He noted the importance of partnerships in realizing these objectives. Supporting his statement, Prof. Segun Oladoye, Head of Quality Control and Assurance at FUNAAB, emphasized the economic and social benefits of the tree planting project. He assured that the seedlings would be carefully nurtured to ensure they serve their purpose of enhancing biodiversity, improving air quality, and contributing to the University's green initiatives.
Representatives of the donors, including Mr. Lateef Abdulsalam from American Tower Corporation and NCF Environmental Coordinator Mrs. Adedamola Ogutuga, emphasized the importance of corporate social responsibility and the need to mitigate climate change. They revealed that Nigeria's current biodiversity stands at 7%, with plans to increase it to 25% by 2047.
This latest project follows a series of similar efforts by FUNAAB, including the planting of 3,000 cocoa seedlings and 4,000 tree seedlings in collaboration with the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN). These initiatives, alongside the Forestry Department students’ recent planting of 2,000 Gmelina seedlings, demonstrate the University’s ongoing commitment to creating a sustainable and eco-friendly environment for future generations.
