Peace-Eye, a global research platform, has agreed to collaborate with Akwa Ibom State University to train smallholder farmers in improved systems that will enhance their production activities and facilitate knowledge transfer.
This announcement was made on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, during a familiarization visit to the university’s main campus in Ikot Akpaden.
Team lead Andreas Pepp, from the University of Salzburg, Austria, said the organization is particularly interested in collaborating with Akwa Ibom State University to assess the needs of farmers in Nigeria, particularly those affected by the increasing wave of farmer-herder conflicts.
He also mentioned that the research-based institution will collaborate with the university to develop a solution for the challenges posed by oil spills, which, according to him, affect food production in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Country Director of the establishment, Muyiwa Oshundele, also reiterated plans by the Peace-Eye group to facilitate exchange programmes for staff and students of Akwa Ibom State University with some universities in Europe, opening them up to vista of opportunities for learning, research, and knowledge transfer.
Professor Otoabasi Akpan, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University, expressed the institution’s commitment to fostering collaborations that will advance the development of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria’s economy. He emphasized that universities worldwide succeed through collaboration, highlighting the university’s willingness to partner with Peace-eye in areas of mutual interest.
The Director of Career Services, Prof. Edna Akpan, while presenting opportunities that abound in Akwa Ibom State for enhanced production of food, said the University will build on successes recorded in previous collaborations with similar agencies such as Solidaridad, OCP Africa, and Harvest Plus International, to achieve seamless deliverables in the proposed partnership with Peace-eye.
The session was attended by several key officials from the University, including the Bursar, Dr. Jacob Eseneyen, and the University Librarian, Prof. Nse Akwang. Also present were the Deans of various faculties: Dr. Ololade Olatunji from the Faculty of Engineering and Dr. Godwin Ansa from the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Director of Collaborations & Linkages, Prof. Monday Akpanabiatu, Deputy Director of Academic Planning, Dr. Aniefiok Ite, and others.
