The World Iyan Carnival team sincerely appreciates the management and staff of Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan-Ekiti, for the warm reception, hospitality, and support extended to the team during its pre-event visit to the institution.
Special appreciation goes to Dr. S.O. Ajeigbe, the Rector of Ekiti State Polytechnic, Dr. T. A Dada, Ag. Director, Centre for Food Processing and Innovation for their time, insights, and willingness to explore opportunities for collaboration and Mr. Martins Olowoyo, Head, Corporate Affairs Unit, for facilitating the engagement and ensuring a productive visit.
Led by the Convener, Prince Ade Ajayi, the World Iyan Carnival team paid a pre-event visit to Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan-Ekiti, as part of preparations for the upcoming Iyan Challenge and the Grand Finale scheduled for December 27, 2026.
The visit was aimed at making necessary arrangements ahead of the competition, engaging with the institution, and meeting the representatives of the Polytechnic at the Iyan Challenge Grand Finale.
As an initiative focused on promoting yam (Iyan), agriculture, food production, innovation, and economic opportunities in Ekiti State, the team also explored potential areas of collaboration between World Iyan Carnival Limited and the Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan Ekiti, particularly with the Centre for Food Processing and Innovation.
During the visit, the team toured the Polytechnic’s farm facilities and centre for food processing and innovation, where they observed the institution’s agricultural infrastructure and learned about some of the innovative activities currently taking place.
Among the facilities visited was the polytechnic tractor shed, belonging to the Mechanization Centre where the Polytechnic tractors where parked. The team was informed that one of the 3 tractors has the capacity to plough up to 50 hectares of farmland within three days* and was described by the institution as one of the biggest of its kind in Africa.
The facility tour provided practical insight into the scale of agricultural resources and infrastructure available at the Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan Ekiti and highlights the institution’s potential to contribute to large-scale agricultural development in Ekiti State.
The team also visited areas designated for yam cultivation and plantation providing an opportunity to better understand the Polytechnic’s agricultural activities and identify areas where World Iyan Carnival Limited and the institution can collaborate to promote yam production, processing, research, and agricultural development.
Following the tour, the team held discussions with representatives of the Polytechnic, Dr. T. A Dada, the pioneer and Ag. Director, Centre for Food Processing and Innovation.
The discussions focused on ways World Iyan Carnival can collaborate with the Polytechnic through the centre to promote its agricultural and food-processing activities, showcase its innovations, and create greater visibility for opportunities available to students, entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Dada shared some of the centre’s ongoing plans and innovations, including a proposed palm wine production initiative aimed at preserving its freshness at room temperature, production of oil palm, destoned local rice, institutional bread and potable water among others to add to their current gari and elubo production.
The discussion highlighted the potential for innovation, research, and value addition within Ekiti State’s agricultural and food-processing sector.
Another key area of discussion was the proposed 50 millionTubers of Yam Cultivation and Processing initiative connected to the Iyan Challenge.
The team explored how investors and participants in the challenge could identify potential investment opportunities within the Polytechnic’s agricultural and food-processing facilities, including the varieties of frozen food such as pork/chicken/goat and beef among others.
This presents an opportunity to connect the Polytechnic’s existing infrastructure and expertise with investors, entrepreneurs, farmers, and other stakeholders across the yam and agricultural value chain.
Overall, the visit served as an important pre-event engagement ahead of the Iyan Competition, while also laying the foundation for a broader partnership between World Iyan Carnival Limited and Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan-Ekiti.
The World Iyan Carnival team looks forward to building on the discussions and exploring practical areas of collaboration that can promote yam production, agricultural education, innovation, food processing, investment, entrepreneurship, and value creation in Ekiti State.
Through this partnership, World Iyan Carnival seeks to create greater opportunities for students, farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders while contributing to the growth and development of Ekiti State’s agricultural value chain.
Once again, we sincerely appreciate Dr. S. O. Ajeigbe, Rector; Dr. T. A Dada, Ag. Director, Centre for Food Processing and Innovation; Mr. Martins Olowoyo, Head, Corporate Affairs Unit; and the entire management and staff of Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan-Ekiti, for their warm welcome, support, and commitment to making the engagement a success
