IGBARIAM, Anambra State — The Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) community is applauding Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha for a bold push into agriculture that is rapidly moving the institution from pilot plots to large-scale harvests—and from aspiration to impact.
Upon assuming office, Prof. Omenugha placed viability at the center of her agenda, identifying agriculture as the next national frontier after the oil boom. That stance aligns squarely with UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and complements the Healthy Living initiative championed by the First Lady of Anambra, Dr. Nonye Soludo. The goal: ensure food security on campus, strengthen nutrition in surrounding communities, and demonstrate how public institutions can anchor local economies.
The results are now visible in the fields—and in the markets. COOU is cultivating and harvesting okra, cucumber, habanero pepper, green bell pepper, pumpkin, scent leaf, waterleaf, assorted vegetables, maize, and tomatoes in significant quantities. What began as a declaration in October 2024—that the University would secure its own food base and evolve into a national food basket—is taking tangible shape. The university’s produce is increasingly sought after from Oye Achara to Nkwọ Awkuzu, Oye Igbariam, and as far as Umu Nwanyi Ochanja and Eke Awka, where market women arrive to buy in bulk.
Shoppers say the appeal is a rare blend of affordability and quality. “You may see one or the other in some places, but never both at once. That is why we keep coming,” one buyer told COOUNewS in Igbo, noting that groups often delegate a single representative to purchase and then share, a sign of trust in both value and freshness.
On campus, staff describe produce from the Healthy Living farm as “fresh beyond what the markets can offer,” while students—who make up the bulk of daily buyers—say the availability of wholesome, low-cost food is a relief amid rising prices outside the gates. The steady stream of buyers underscores how a university enterprise can reduce household costs, stabilize diets, and enrich local food systems.
For many observers, COOU’s agricultural rise is about more than crops. It is a statement of intent—viability in action—and a model of how values translate into visible outcomes. Under Prof. Omenugha’s leadership, the institution is showing that a university can cultivate confidence as surely as it cultivates maize and vegetables: breaking barriers, restoring hope, and proving that public institutions can be both mission-driven and market-savvy.
With farm operations scaling, supply chains strengthening, and community demand rising, COOU’s commitment to food security is feeding more than bodies—it is feeding futures.
