The Redeemers College of Technology and Management (RECTEM) has taken delivery of 500 seedlings of cashew nuts, courtesy of the Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC). The seedlings were delivered by the State Coordinator, RMRDC, Kayode Abiola during this quarter’s distribution of over 2,000 seedlings to farmers in Ogun State. The gesture is part of collaborations to ensure massive production of cashew in line with the college’s goal of generating fund and also creating employment. It also align with RECTEM’s mandate of instituting hectares of jumbo cashew seedlings plantation, to achieve the dream of establishing cashew nuts processing plants at the Redemption camp. x The Director, Entrepreneurship Centre, RECTEM, Dr. Suleman Sunday Onjewu, who took delivery of the seeds, in company of the College’s Librarian, Timothy Ayanda, at RMRDC’s office, Abeokuta, said the collaboration is to support RMRDC in production and processing of raw materials. “What we intend to do is that, while we are waiting for the plants to process the nuts, we will start with the establishment of the plantation, and by the time the cashew nuts processing plant is in place, the issue of lack of raw materials would have been tackled. “Today, we are collecting 500 seedlings of jumbo cashew nut, which if we plant 10 by 10 meters spacing, will give us 100 trees by hectare. In order to conserve our land, we intend to use 7.5 meters as spacing, which will give us 177 trees per hectare. In other words, what we are collecting today can plant 2.8 hectares of land, though our major target is to cultivate at least 10 hectares of land. “We actually asked RMRDC to give us 3000 seedlings but today, we are collecting 500 seedlings and even with what we are taking away, we are favoured,” he said. The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina, who was represented by Director, Tree Crops and Rural Services, James Oyesola said the state, in collaboration with RMRDC, would continue to work hand-in-hand with farmers and institutions like RECTEM for the country to successfully diversify from crude oil to agriculture. “Ogun State, this year, has distributed over 10,000 seedlings, and what we are doing today is just an addition. About two weeks ago, we were also in Ikenne, distributing free cashew seedlings. Cashew is not like any other seed that you cannot replant, and we will continue to do the needful and monitor farmers,” he said.