CENTRE FOR FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH (CEFTER) CONFERENCE

Tackling the Menace of Post-Harvest looses in West and Central Africa

Makurdi is the Capital of Benue, the food basket of Nigeria, and Benue State University Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER) is delighted to host the 2019 conference on post-harvest looses for BSU CEFTER students, staff and graduates.

This conference, which is a collaboration of several faculties across the University, offers a great opportunity to present latest research, as well as learning from what other people across the University are researching. The conference will also create an excellent opportunity for networking and establishing a sustainable network with stakeholder organizations and other researchers.

Professor Daniel Adedzwa, Centre Leader, BSU CEFTER will host the conference, and forms part of the project entitled ‘Tackling the menace of post-harvest looses in West and Central Africa’, financed by the World Bank and Benue State University. The conference welcome remark will be delivered by the Vice-Chancellor Benue State University (Prof. Msugh Moses Kembe) to officially kick the conference off at 10 am on Monday 24th June 2019 (tbc).

Conference Date

24th- 25th June, 2019

Venue

College of Health Sciences Auditorium, Benue State University Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.

For whom?

The conference is organized by CEFTER for student and staff of CEFTER. The conference will bring together keynote speakers comprising national and regional industry workers, as well as higher education lecturers and students will attend the event. They will present innovative, as well as new developments in the field of postharvest looses.

Benefits

Participants of this year’s conference will;

1. 1. learn from good practices demonstrated by other researchers
2. 2. disseminate the results of research, both applied and empirical
3. 3. network with peers, share information about successful and ineffective approaches, whilst also identifying collaborations and ways of 
working together to assist future research work
4. 4. meet and network with relevant stake holders in the field

We welcome submissions from all postgraduate students at CEFTR with interests in different aspects of postharvest losses. Please ensure that any submissions are accessible to such a broad audience.All of the information on abstract submissions and marking criteria can be found on the CEFTER Conference webpage at www.cefterbsu.edu.ng/2019conference.php. Abstract submission can be for a poster, oral presentation, focused meetings or presentations.

Each submission must include the following information:

1. i. Name(s) of author(s)
2. 2. Matriculation (Registration) number
3. 3. Title
4. 4. Abstract of no more than 1,500 characters
5. 5. Email address

The keynote speaker at this year’s conference will be Dr. Pesu of NSPRI Ilorin, Prof. Ukpabi of NCRI and Prof. Ekefan of UAM, Prof. Lum Fon Ten.

We are also seeking presenters, and focused meeting conveners mostly from CEFTER graduates and industry experts that are passionate, enthusiastic and have relevant skills and interests within the field of postharvest looses. If you have an idea and are keen to get involved in this years conference and contribute to its voice and direction, we would love to hear from you. Please email the Deputy Centre Leader, Dr. Barnabas Ikyo (a.ikyo@bsum.edu.ng), the deadline for this is 10 June 2019 (tbc).

CEFTER expects and will appreciate if her partners will support the conference by placing a full-page advert or goodwill message in the program at the cost ₦50,000 for national partners and $500 for international partners. Partners are also entitled to place a roll up banner (of not more than 85cm by 200cm) at designated points within the conference arena. Expression of interest and full payment for this should reach the Deputy Centre Leader (Dr. Barnabas Ikyo), CEFTER by 7th June, 2019.

Registration

Conference registration is free and open to all current students and staff at BSU CEFTER.The deadline to register to attend the conference is Monday 17th June 2019 at 12 noon (tbc). It is essential that participants register by the deadline to receive a conference brochure.

CEFTER partner participants are strongly advised to seek their own institutional and other alternative funding to attend the conference. However, some travel allowance covering travel and accommodation are available for a few invited CEFTER graduates. In exceptional cases (e.g. participants coming from outside the Benue State or Nigeria) two nights of accommodation can also be organized at the student hostels (subject to availability).

Please send enquiries relating to registration to: Dr. Sylvester Adejo at soadejo@gmail.com or soadejo@bsum.edu.ng

Creche at the event

In order to encourage participants with infants to attend the conference, BSU CEFTR is teaming up with the College of Health Sciences (CHS) Creche, located at the venue for the conference, to provide free crèche at this year’s conference. Please send an email to inyinoh@bsum.edu.ng to secure your child’s place today.

Upcoming dates

1. Conference call opens: 1st May 2019 (tbc)
2. Deadline for submission of abstracts/papers for presentation: 27May 2019 (tbc)
3. Registration opens: 7th May 2019 (tbc)
4. Deadline for registration: 17th June 2019 (tbc)
5. Notification of acceptance: 06 June 2019 (tbc)
6. Deadline for goodwill messages for the conference brochure: 7th June 2019

Best Poster/Presentation award

The best poster will be judged together with poster presentation of scientific work to attract the prize. First prize award will be ₦100, 000, second prize ₦50, 000 and third prize ₦30, 000. All prize monies will be shared equally among co-authors.

‘Summing up’ sessions

Participants will be brought together to recapitulate the outcomes of the debate in thematic working forums; rapporteurs from each group will briefly summarize the discussions and highlight the key issues and potential solutions. 


Key lessons and way forward’

This conference will offer reflections on the significant messages emerging from the conference.

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