KEY POINTS
- The Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions has unveiled plans to reform Nigeria’s agricultural education and research system to address food insecurity and unemployment.
- The committee says it is pursuing international partnerships with countries including China, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom for technology transfer and training.
- Stakeholders at the upcoming National Legislative Summit on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions are calling for stronger legislative support, investment, and collaboration in agricultural research.
MAIN STORY
The Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions has announced plans to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural education and research system as part of broader efforts to strengthen food security and create employment opportunities across the country.
Chairman of the committee, Sharafadeen Alli, disclosed this during a media parley held in Ibadan ahead of the maiden National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions.
The summit, scheduled to hold from Tuesday to Friday, is themed: “Unfolding the Potential of Agricultural Colleges and Institutions through Collaboration and Innovation to Enhance Food Security and Job Creation.”
According to Alli, the committee has initiated high-level diplomatic engagements with countries including Malaysia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, to facilitate technology transfer, investment, and training aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s agricultural education sector.
He said the committee was committed to transforming agricultural institutions from largely theory-driven centres into practical, innovation-focused hubs capable of delivering measurable results in food production and agribusiness development.
“The era of treating agricultural education as purely academic is over. Our goal is to ensure that between 60 and 70 per cent of training focuses on practical areas such as crop production, livestock, and agribusiness,” Alli said.
The senator explained that the planned reforms informed the decision to organise the first National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Research Institutions.
He further disclosed that the committee is currently reviewing laws guiding the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), noting that more than 16 affiliated research institutes must improve operational efficiency and align their mandates with Nigeria’s food security objectives.
Alli added that the Senate supports the establishment of specialised institutions, including the proposed Federal College of Agriculture in Shani, Borno State, to strengthen agricultural development in underserved areas.
“Despite logistical challenges, the committee has continued to engage heads of agricultural agencies to ensure that over 35 research institutes contribute meaningfully to national food security goals. Our focus remains on producing skilled manpower capable of bridging the gap between agricultural research and practical farming,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Muhammed Attanda, described the summit as timely, stressing that Nigeria urgently requires a stronger legislative framework to support agricultural development.
Attanda lamented that agricultural research institutions in Nigeria were not receiving adequate visibility despite possessing innovations and products capable of competing globally.
“We have outstanding products and innovations that can compete globally, but we lack the platform to effectively showcase them to Nigerians,” he said.
Similarly, the acting Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Adedeji Abiodun, said government alone could not drive agricultural development without active collaboration from citizens and private stakeholders.
He called for stronger partnerships to revitalise research institutions across the country and improve their capacity to contribute to national development.
“We need support and collaboration, as research institutions require adequate resources to function effectively and contribute meaningfully to national development,” Abiodun said.
The acting Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Oluwatosin Gabriel, also stressed the importance of research in national development.
Gabriel noted that Nigeria possesses highly skilled researchers across different sectors but lamented that foreign countries often benefit more from Nigerian expertise than the country itself.
“What agriculture urgently needs is stronger legislative and executive support. While the Federal Government can provide policy frameworks, state governments also have critical roles to play, especially in land provision and implementation of development initiatives,” he said.
THE ISSUES
Nigeria continues to face major food security challenges driven by low agricultural productivity, weak mechanisation, inadequate funding for research institutions, and poor linkage between research findings and practical farming.
Stakeholders say many agricultural colleges and research institutes operate with outdated infrastructure, insufficient funding, and limited access to modern technology, affecting their ability to contribute effectively to national development.
Experts have also raised concerns about youth unemployment and declining interest in agriculture, stressing the need for practical training and innovation-driven education capable of creating sustainable jobs in agribusiness and food production.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
Lawmakers and agricultural experts say modernising agricultural education and strengthening research institutions are essential to addressing food insecurity and driving economic growth.
Stakeholders also believe international collaboration, technology transfer, and practical training will help reposition Nigeria’s agricultural sector for competitiveness and sustainability.
Researchers are calling for increased government funding, stronger policies, and improved public-private partnerships to revitalise agricultural research and innovation nationwide.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Senate Committee is expected to advance legislative reforms targeting agricultural colleges, research institutes, and the broader agricultural education framework.
Outcomes from the National Legislative Summit and Expo may also shape future policies aimed at strengthening food security, research innovation, and youth participation in agriculture.
Government agencies and research institutions are likely to intensify collaboration with international partners to improve training, technology adoption, and agricultural productivity across the country.
BOTTOM LINE
The Senate’s push to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural education and research system reflects growing efforts to tackle food insecurity, unemployment, and low agricultural productivity. Stakeholders say sustained investment, stronger legislation, and practical innovation will be critical to transforming agriculture into a major driver of economic growth and national development.
