Academic Programme : Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
PRACTICAL YEAR TRAINING PROGRAMME
The practical year training programme of the university of Ibadan comes under the students industrial works experience scheme (SIWES) established by the Federal Government under the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973/74. PYTP is a skill training programme designed to expose and prepare students of the Faculty for the industrial work situation they are likely to meet after graduation. The programme also affords students the opportunity of familiarizing and exposing themselves to the needed experience in handling equipments and machinery that are usually not available in their institution.
The Practical Year Training Programme started in August 1978 under the Deanship of Professor N. O. Adedipe and Chairmanship of Professor A. A. Agboola.
At inception, the PYTP was designed for agriculture students at 200 levels. The programme was reviewed in 1984, under the Deanship of Professor R. O. Adegboye and Chairmanship of Professor E. O. Lucas to be undergone by the students at 400 level. This was to enable the students have adequate theoretical background that would enable them comprehend the technical know-how being introduced to them during the PYTP.
In cognizance of the holistic nature of modern agricultural practice, the PYTP was further reviewed in 2005 under the Deanship of Professor Janice E. Olawoye. The programme is now being executed pragmatically to include outside postings. In addition to on-campus practical exposure, the PYTP students are sent to neighbouring Research Institute, notable the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, and Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) Ibadan, for acquisition of practical knowledge in horticulture and cash tree crops husbandry.
The PYTP students are also being posted to the Leventis Foundation School, Ilesa, an agricultural/home economics vocational school for knowledge acquisition in agro-forestry, home-economics, fisheries and mushroom production. Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR & T) Moor Plantain, Ibadan is also for acquisition of knowledge in livestock production and management.
The Ile-Ogbo Farm of the University, occupying about 218 hectare of land, serves as the on-farm stadium and field laboratory for the staff and students. The PYTP students also gain practical exposure to extension activities of Ile-Ogbo. The programme looks forward to occupying the land donated to the University for the rural agricultural project at Ile-Ogbo in the nearest future.
Objectives of PYTP
The objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme are to:
a. Provide an avenue for students in Institutions of Higher Learning to acquire industrial skills and experience in the course of their study.
b. Prepare students for the industrial work situation they are likely to meet after graduation.
c. Expose student to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery that may be available in their institutions.
d. Make the transition from school to the world of easier, and enhance Students contacts for later job placement.
e. Provide students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge in real work situation thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.
f. Enlist and strengthen employers’ involvement in the entire educational process and prepare students for employment in industry and commerce.
ACTIVITIES OF THE PYTP
The PYTP spans one academic session. The programme is designed for the students to spend six months on out-of-campus posting and the remaining period in the various production units on the Teach and Research Farm and the valley bottom farm of the PYTP. The students also receive instruction on various subject areas to enable them cover the following activities.
a. Production of one cereal crop (Maize)
b. Production of one leguminous crop (cowpea, soyabean, groundnut, etc).
c. Production of one tuber crop (cassava, yam, cocoyam)
d. Production of fruit and leafy vegetable crops, both local and exotic (Amaranthus, celosia, okra, Corchorus, lettuce, Cabbage, melon, water melon etc).
e. Raising and maintenance of seedlings of plantation crops (oil palm, cocoa, cashew, kolanut, citrus, teak, neem etc).
f. Horticultural production which covers vegetative propagation techniques (cutting, grafting, budding, marcoting, tissue culture, etc) seed multiplication, nursery establishment and maintenance, landscape planning and maintenance of plant hedges in the Faculty and general maintenance of Faculty environment.
g. Establishment and maintenance of permanent crops at Ile-Ogbo and Ajibode farms of the University.
h. Livestock production, feed composition and general management
i. Excursion to some national and international Agricultural mechanization (tractor driving, wood work, metal fabrication etc).
j. Excursion to some national and international agricultural research institutes not covered in the 6 months out-of campus postings.
k. Daily record keeping of farm activities and cash transactions shall form part of the final report to be submitted by each student.
Coordinators of PYTP (as at 2017)
Dean of the Faculty – Professor A. A. Ladele
PYTP Chairman – Dr. T. O. Ososanya
Head of the Unit – Mr. Olowu I. Albert
Agric-officer - Mrs M. O. Adeniji
Ileogbo Lianson Officer Mr. R. A. Yusuf
Senior Tractor Driver Mr. R. A. Iyiola
REMARKABLE EVENTS OF PYTP
Faculty officials led by Prof Bada on a courtesy visit to Kabiyesi, Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Oba Musa Adisa Akintomide Aroyehum I.
PIX B: A Plague was presents to Kabiyesi, Olu of Ile-Ogbo by Professor Bada (Former Dean)
PIX C: Professor (Mrs) Jomie E. Olawaye posted with staff and students to the Faculty at vegetable sales prompt
Pix D: Vegetable sales in progress
PIX E: Best overall students in PYTP posed with Faculty officials during the award ceremony