REPORT ON BRIQUETTE MAKING AND TREE PLANTING WORKSHOP, JULY 20-21, 2018

The briquette making workshop took place in the Department of Forest Production & Products, UI on 20 July 2018 with 13 registered participants, 2 resource persons- Prof Olorunnisola of Wood Products Engineering, UI; and Dr Gloria T. Anguruwa from Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan and the members of the tree planting committee.

Department of Forest Production & Products made generator and other facilities available for Agro Impact use. Dr Adejoke Akinyele coordinated registration of participants which started around 8.30am. Each participant paid Two Thousand, Five hundred Naira (N2,500.00) each per training. Most participants had registered and paid before the training. Dr S.O. Olajuyigbe coordinated the programme while welcome address and information about AgroImpact projects was given by Dr Eyiwumi Olayinka. Participants introduced themselves and stated their expectations from the programme. Professor Olorunnisola and Dr Anguruwa gave the lectures which led to the practical session in the Department of Forest Production and Products wood workshop.

The group was conveyed to Department of Wood Products Engineering to see fabricated molds that could be used for briquette production. Day 1 workshop ended around 2pm with closing prayer from Dr Olugbire.

Tree planting training started around 8.00 am. Three hundred teak seedlings were donated to Agro Impact by the Department of Forest Production & Products, UI.  Head, Department of Social & Environmental Forestry also made the Departmental Hilux available to be used to transfer the seedlings to the site, although the vehicle was fuelled with N1,000.00. Out of the 7 registered participants only 5 turned up. Participants were conveyed immediately to the Agro Impact Tree plantation site along Ajibode-Sasa road. Dr Akinyele gave a brief lecture on tree planting and management. Mr Fatoba and Mr Kolapo coordinated the practical session, where participants were trained on rope alignments to get plants on a straight line and the use of wooden pegs to locate point of placement of seedlings before planting. They were also trained on holing and appropriate planting. Participants were encouraged to practice what had been demonstrated for about 1 hour and 2 rows of Teak biological fence were planted by the participants. At 11am, participants were conveyed to the Agro Impact Tree nursery where demonstrations were made on various techniques of pre- germination treatment for teak seeds, appropriate sowing techniques, germination of tree seeds, preparation of growth media, as well as filling of polypots. Participants were also taught how to prepare stumps which they potted.

The workshop ended around 1pm.

Income & Expenses

Forty five Thousand Naira (N45, 000.00) was raised through participant registration fee. Forty two thousand, nine hundred naira (N42,900.00) was expended on cost of materials, labour, feeding, stationeries etc. A participant who had Prof Ogunsanwo, HOD, Forest Production & Products as a guarantor, is yet to pay. There is a balance of Two thousand, One Hundred Naira (N2,100.00).

Further actions

1. Prof Olorunnisola provided information on the availability of a fabricated machine that could be used to produce toilet rolls from waste paper. It was suggested that Agro Impact partners with his department in Waste paper disposal in UI and use such to produce toilet rolls.
2. It is suggested that Agro Impact should make every effort to plant out the whole area allocated to Agro Impact projects for tree planting this season. The total budget for the planting and maintenance is below:

Thank you.

Dr Adejoke O. Akinyele