AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR AGRIBUSINESS
ENTREPRENEURS (AFIFA)
---retooling agropreneurship for continental prosperity
---retooling agropreneurship for continental prosperity
SOFAAG has at its Headquarters in Nigeria. It has management headed by a National President. Members on the board are: National Secretary, National Treasurer, National Publicity Secretary, elected chairpersons, secretaries and publicity secretaries of State Branches. The board is answerable to the board of trustees appointed by the Founder.
A Professor of Rural Sociology and Extension, College of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology and Extension in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. He holds a Ph.D from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (2007). He was Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies (2012-2016). He is, currently, Director, Directorate of Information and Communications Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (since 2016). His current research is on youth and women in ICT and Entrepreneurship/Agripreneurship, Agriculture and Rural Development. He is an Innovator, entrepreneur and academic with over 21 years in Teaching, Research, Community Service and business leadership. Experienced in all aspects of Educational, Agricultural, Rural and Community development and business formation, operation, finance, and management. Visionary leader, achiever, planner and product developer with deep education in research and analytics. Effective communicator and motivator who identifies and leverages assets in teammates to reach organizational goals. Relentless optimist who believes there is no failure, only feedback/output. Professor Onuekwusi demonstrates strong command of teaching methodology, entrepreneurship expertise, business and management principles as they pertain to development, resource allocation, production methods, and leading others. He has deep technical background in agribusiness business analytics with experience using project management and user interface software. He is a Fellow and Chairman – Society for Agropreneurship and Agribusiness, Institute of Classic Entrepreneurship, Nigeria. He is an Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (JEINNO)
Udeme James Usanga is a Lecturer and Head of Division of Entrepreneurship Development and Vocational Studies (EDVSC) Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu in Ebonyi State, an academic arm of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike. Mr. Usanga has a solid background in Agricultural Economics and Extension from University of Uyo, Masters Degree (M Sc) in Natural Resources and Environmental Economics in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Uyo in view. He has worked and taught at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, the defunct Akwa Ibom State College of Agriculture, Obio Akpa, Oruk Anam Local; Government Area. Mr. Udeme Usanga has more than 20 scientific papers in Journals, Conferences and 5 Chapter contributions in text books and research compendia. He is a specialist in research analysis, Baseline and socio-economic survey, and Environmental Impact Assessment for projects. He has attended several training workshops, seminars and conferences. Mr. Udeme has varied experience in both the private and the public sector. He started a a Field Officer with the Federal Legislative Office under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Okon John Ekpenyong (Member Representative of Uyo 1 Federal Constituency) at the House of Representatives, Lagos. He later served as Clerical Officer and later as Sectional Head Purchasing in the Operations Planning Department (OPD) in Cross River Breweries Limited, Uyo, Cross River State. He left CRBL for the Rivers State-owned Pabod Breweries Limited in Port Harcourt as a Sales Representative and later Senior Sales Representative in the department of Marketing. He sold, researched and trained upcoming salesmen for the company, in tough market niches such: Akwa Ibom, Cross River, the then Imo, Benue and Edo States.
The Chairman, Entrepreneurship Development and Research Centre Establishment Committee of the NRCRI- Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Mr. Udeme James Usanga is also a partner at the International Centre for Agriculture and the Environment (ICAE), at University of Uyo. 2 Member of many academic and scientific associations, such as: Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (STAN), Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN), Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON), Farm Management Association of Nigeria (FAMAN) ●Organic Agriculture Projects for Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria (OAPTIN). He has served in various capacities as: The Public Relations Officer, Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes, South East Zone (ASURI), Member Examination moderating and vetting Committees from 2014 till date in both the department and the College, Member, Chief Examination Officer 2012 – to date, Member, International Linkages Committee, Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State – 2015 to date, Students’ Academic Adviser- Agricultural Extension and Management Department, Students’ Academic Adviser- Department of Computer Science, Students’ Academic Adviser- Department of Marketing, from - 2014 to date,. Students’ Academic Adviser- Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State – from 2014 to date. Mr. Usanga has also serve as Chairman, Final year project presentation and Defense from 2014 to date in Agricultural Extension and Management Department. He is a stream Lecturer and has taught various courses some of which are: Principles of Economics, Micro-economics, Macro Economics Practice of Management, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Practice of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Development, Research Methods, Agric Business Law, Field Trips and Seminar, Small Business Startup, Feasibility Studies and Business Planning, Project Management and Advanced Project Management.
He has officially supervised well over 35 students’ academic projects. Mr. Usanga, being the pioneer Chairman in the development of the Blueprint for the establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Centre at FCA Ishiagu has trained and graduated a number of Nigerian youths alongside training and certifying unemployed graduates and Artisans as life leaders in various business enterprises. He has contributed in teaching, research, entrepreneurship and skills development, extension services and project management for the past 12 years and in the process has taught at least one student in all the states of the Federation through a programme of the Unemployed Graduates Scheme sponsored by Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) and has contributed enormously to the training and building the human character, capacity and skills for national growth and development to God’s Glory. Mr. Usanga, was the Guest Lecturer and Keynote speaker on AFRICA ARTISANS’ DAY LECTURE SERIES -UYO, NIGERIA. 2017; facilitated by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ARTISANS OF NIGERIA with the Theme: Putting Artisan at the centre of development: The Akwa Ibom State experience as a microcosm of the continent of Africa on 15/12/17 at The Federal Secretariat Conference Hall, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Reviewer for international journals of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management and also developed, reviewed and edited Entrepreneurship and Vocational Studies Modules on Agriculture, Entrepreneurship and Vocational Studies course modules (29 modules) for FCAI- Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) in 2019/2020 for training and skills acquisition of students, the general public, staff in-service and retirees. His hobbies include: Writing, Travelling, Voluntary Service, Gardening, Reading, Research and Computing
