July 30/2023 G C (wollo University public Relation Directorate office)
Dr. Mengesha Ayene, Wollo University President, welcomed the guests and briefed them about the vision and mission of the university. He mentioned that WU is one of the applied universities in Ethiopia. Hence, the university is expected to make teaching and learning more practical-oriented to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills that are required by the industry. Hence, the intended collaboration will play a major role in this regard. During his speech, he also mentioned the region’s potential for horticulture sector development. He expressed the university’s willingness to allocate land for greenhouse construction and collaborate in every possible way to materialize this collaboration.
Moreover, the Academic Affairs Vice President, Dr. Awol Seid, has emphasized how important such collaborations are in producing skilled manpower. He mentioned the availability of required academic staff that can engage in the project implementation and participate in adapting the training module as well as participate during training delivery. He also expressed his hope that this collaboration will lay the foundation for other collaborations between Wollo University and South Korean universities.
During the ceremony, the CEO of AgroTech, Mr. Lee, presented a summary of the company profile and ongoing projects in Africa and the Middle East. AgroTech Co. Ltd. is a South Korean agriculture company specializing in training smart farm technicians, project-based consulting and operation of smart farm facilities, building cultivation facilities, and research and development of greenhouse cultivation in partnership with research institutes.
On behalf of Wollo University, Dr. Yohannes Gedamu presented the University’s profile and the potential of the Eastern Amhara region concerning horticulture development and small-scale, low-cost, and protected cultivation.
After both presentations, Dr. Habtamu Giday, a representative of AgroTech in Ethiopia, explained the main objective of the MoU and future collaboration. He explained that there is an increase in greenhouse cultivation worldwide, which also creates a demand for skilled labor that can operate these greenhouses. Therefore, AgroTech’s plan in Ethiopia is to partner with Wollo University to train smart farm technicians by building and equipping a low-cost demonstration smart greenhouse on campus.
These newly trained technicians are expected to operate farms in Korea, the Middle East, and Ethiopia. He also mentioned that AgroTech covers all the expenses of the demonstration smart greenhouse as well as training costs. What is required from Wollo University is to allocate a piece of land for greenhouse construction, recruit potential trainees, and participate in module preparation and training.
Finally, the MoU was signed by Dr. Mengesha and Mr. Lee.
