UNIZIK Partners TEVA Foods for 2026 Tree Planting Initiative to Promote Sustainable Agriculture

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, through its Centre for Agripreneurship and Cooperative Research/Practice (CACORP), has partnered with TEVA Foods, Kaduna State, to host its 2026 Tree Planting Programme, reaffirming its commitment to environmental sustainability, agricultural entrepreneurship and youth empowerment.

The programme, held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, began with a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, before the main event at the Board Room of the Faculty of Management Sciences.

Receiving the TEVA Foods delegation, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chima Christian, the Vice-Chancellor commended the organisation's contributions to agricultural development and reaffirmed the university's commitment to strategic partnerships that promote innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development. He said UNIZIK remains committed to collaborations capable of delivering lasting benefits in education, agriculture, research and community development.

In his response, Mr. Christian appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for the warm reception and willingness to partner with TEVA Foods. He highlighted the company's growth and dedication to agricultural innovation, value addition and youth empowerment, while expressing interest in visiting the university's Faculty of Agriculture campus at Ifite-Ogwari to explore opportunities for collaboration in agricultural research, training and production.

Held under the theme, "Planting Trees for Posterity, Climate Action and Prosperity," the event featured a keynote address by Mr. Christian, who encouraged students to embrace agriculture as a viable pathway to financial independence and national development. He shared practical knowledge on cultivating apple seeds and highlighted the commercial potential of value-added products such as dried African star apple (Udara) and dried mangoes.

Mr. Christian also noted that Nigeria is home to an estimated 10.9 billion trees, stressing their importance in carbon regulation while lamenting the underutilisation of the country's natural resources. He urged young people to acquire agricultural skills capable of strengthening food production and boosting economic growth.

Declaring the programme open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Engr. Professor Stephen Ufoaroh, former Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIZIK Chapter, called on Nigerians to embrace farming to improve food production, encourage afforestation, create employment and protect the environment. He also reaffirmed the Vice-Chancellor's commitment to strengthening the university's partnership with TEVA Foods.

Professor Ufoaroh later presented an Award of Recognition to Mr. Christian on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and CACORP in appreciation of his contributions to agricultural development and youth empowerment.

In her welcome address, the Director of CACORP, Dr. Nma Okechukwu Okoroji, described tree planting as a lasting investment in future generations and reiterated the centre's vision of becoming a world-class hub for agripreneurship and cooperative development.

She explained that CACORP promotes sustainable livelihoods, food security and rural transformation through research, training and enterprise development. According to her, the centre has trained more than 2,500 students, youths and farmers in cooperative management, agripreneurship, climate-smart agriculture and value-chain development, while also making progress in cooperative strengthening, demonstration farms, research partnerships and policy advocacy.

Quoting Genesis 2:15, Dr. Okoroji described tree planting as a divine responsibility and encouraged greater investment in agriculture to improve food security and economic development. She also appreciated TEVA Foods and the Vice-Chancellor for their continued support.

The Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Professor Francis Nwankwo, said the tree-planting initiative reflects UNIZIK's commitment to food security, agricultural innovation and national development. He also commended Dr. Okoroji for her leadership in advancing agripreneurship and cooperative development within the university.

Representing the Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Chinyere Nwabachili, represented by Dr. Ben Odoemena, described the programme's theme as timely and stressed the importance of integrating tree planting and climate action with sustainable agribusiness. She noted that the ministry is promoting private-sector participation, irrigation-driven agriculture and competitive agricultural value chains under the state's industrialisation agenda.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the Anambra State Chairperson of the National Coalition of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors Association of Nigeria (NACOPPMAN), Hon. Emily Uzoh, who encouraged coconut cultivation as a means of generating income and promoting afforestation; the South-East Zonal Chairman of NACOPPMAN, Rev. Elvis Okolie, who emphasised skills acquisition as a pathway to wealth creation; the Anambra State Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Angela Uche-Echieh, who called for greater investment in agriculture to drive socio-economic development; and the Anambra State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, High Chief Arthur Mbuba, who commended the strengthened partnership with UNIZIK and pledged continued federal support for agricultural initiatives.

The programme featured the official tree-planting exercise led by the Vice-Chancellor, the distribution of coconut seedlings by CACORP to participants, and the presentation of a commemorative souvenir to Mr. Christian in recognition of his contributions to agripreneurship, youth empowerment and climate action.

The event attracted representatives of NACOPPMAN, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, university staff, students, agricultural stakeholders and environmental advocates.