DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY

( PLANT SCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY)

STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME

(SIWES)

Held At

RIVERS INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING( RIART) RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY, PORT
HARCOURT.

By

LUCKY EUNICE THANKGOD

DE.2020/6423
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• INTRODUCTION
• ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
• ESTIMATION OF THE PARAMETER TO BE DISCUSSED
• NEW SKILLS ACQUIRED AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
• CONCLUSION
• RECOMMENDATION
• REFERENCES
 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Brief history about SIWES
SIWES ( students industrial work experience scheme) was established by ITF in 1973 to solve the
problems of lack of adequate skills by newly graduated students in the industrial world. The
scheme exposes students to industrial based skills necessary for an easy transition from the
classroom to the industrial world.
Operators of SIWES include: the ITF, the coordinating agencies, NUC, NCCE, NBTE, employers of
labour and the various institutions. The SIWES programme is funded by the federal republic of
Nigeria. The beneficiaries of this scheme are undergraduates of the following: Engineering,
agriculture, environmental science, education, medical sciences and pure and applied sciences.

1.2 Aims and objectives of SIWES

The objectives of the students industrial work experience scheme ( SIWES) are as follows:
1) To prepare students for the work situations they are likely to meet after graduation.
2) It exposes students to work methods and techniques in handling equipments and
machinery in their institutions.
3) It enlists and strengthens employers involvement in the entire educational process and
prepares the students for employment after graduation.

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF RIART

The Rivers Institute of Agricultural Research and Training ( RIART) of the Rivers State University
Port Harcourt, formerly at onne, was borne out of the law establishing the former University of
Science and Technology Port Harcourt, enacted by the Rivers State House of Assembly of 1980,
assented to by the first Executive Governor of the State, Chief Melford Okilo, on the 6th day of
August, 1980. The institute came into being by the merger of the former School of Agriculture
and Fisheries, Onne and the Research Division, both of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural
Resources Port Harcourt, with official headquarters at Onne campus of former School of
Agriculture and Fisheries. The institute took of officially in January, 1982 with the primary
function of the two merged establishments, Research and Training of intermediate agricultural
personnel, became the sole duties of RIART.
The institute took off with academic staff strength of twenty eight (28), amongst other non-
academic senior/junior staff, for effective research and activities.
 ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT

• Cultivation of cassava( Manihot esculenta)

• Cultivation of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
• Cultivation of maize ( Zea mays)
• Cultivation of cowpea
• Cultivation of fluted pumpkin ( Telfaria occidentalis)
• Cultivation of waterleaf
• Land mapping and clearing( weeding)
 ESTIMATION OF PARAMETER TO BE DISCUSSED

CASSAVA (Manihot esculenta)

Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Specie: Manihot esculenta

Cassava is a perennial woody shrub with an edible root, which grows in tropical and sub-tropical
area of the world. Cassava Originated from tropical America and was first introduced into Africa
in the Congo basin by the portuguese around 1558. Today cassava Supports the livelihood of
over 300 million Africans.
Nutritional Value of Cassava
Consumption of Cassava comes with significant nutritional benefits and every part of the plant
can serve as food for humans and animals. Cassava is rich in nutrients such as calcium, vitamins
A, B and C, and essential minerals such as thiamine, folic acid, iron, manganese, potassium, zinc
and it is also major source of carbohydrates ( it gives carbohydrates production about 40% higher
than rice and 25% higher in maize).

BENEFITS OF CASSAVA
1. Serves as a good source of food.
2. It is a good source of resistant starch, which supports gut health and blood sugar
maintenance.
3. Contains vitamin C, a key micronutrient that can enhance immune function and
collagen production.
4. It also serves as a good source of energy.
5. It can also be used in the production of alcohol.
NEW SKILLS ACQUIRED AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

NEW SKILLS ACQUIRED

1. Land cleaning and mapping: Land cleaning involves the removal of

native vegetation for Agricultural purposes or other development project.
When cleaning land, particularly for planting purpose, the density of native
hover and soil type must be considered in other to conserve the top soil.
While land Mapping or measurement is a precision agriculture technique that
allows farmers get detailed maps of their property or farmland.

2. Bed preparation: I also learnt how to make plant beds for plants like:
Telfaria Occidentalis ( fluted pumpkin), Zea mays( Maize), Talinum
fruticosum (water leaf).

3. Fertilizer application and pest control of plant:

during the course of my training I was given the idea of fertilizer application
and was also thought on certain measures of pest control such as weeding,
ridging, mulching and making of perimeter fences.

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

1. Lack of inadequate working tools and equipments.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION

1. Provision of working tools should be made available so all students will be

engaged in the daily activities.
 CONCLUSION

As a student, SIWES has enabled and helped me with the opportunity to

apply theoretical knowledge into real work and actual practice. During the
course of the training it has also provided an avenue for me to develop
skills and experience in the course of working. As a result to the time of
the training I had the opportunity to relate and work hard with the
professionals of the firm which exposes me to numerous things.

2. The SIWES programme since it's inception has been an effective tool in
promoting academic excellence in the Nigerian universities, polytechnics,
and other institutional bodies of learning participate in it. It was a brilliant
decision to initiate this programme in the curriculum of institutions of
higher learning to obtain degrees in various disciplines. It was a great
experience in participating in the SIWES programme.
RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Students should be attached to firms, industries or institutions that have

adequate equipments, so that they can learn ideas rather than repeating
what they know already.

2. Adequate supervision should be done at the firms or industries where

students are attached to ensure they are fully attending and participating in
daily activities.

3. SIWES allowance should be given to students during the period of

attachment rather than after the programme, if implemented will help to
solve the students minor needs like transport fare.
 REFERENCES

https//en.wikipedia.aims.and.objectives.of.siwes.m.opera.mini.com.google.ng.45;5623:en

https//SIWESbeginners.com.waystowriteanabstract.m.opera.mini.client.com.4250000072

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra

Mr. Godwin (I. T field coordinator)

Student’s Industrial work experience Scheme handbook, revised 2021

www.en.wikipedia.org

www.google.com/search?client=ms-opera-mini-