In a strategic move to revamp agricultural education and strengthen Nigeria’s food security, the Federal Government has inaugurated a 24-member Inter-Ministerial Technical Working Committee to review and update agricultural curricula in tertiary institutions across the country.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, performed the inauguration at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. The committee, comprising experts from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, agriculture sector professionals, and farmers, has been tasked with aligning agricultural curricula with current global best practices and Nigeria’s development needs.
Dr. Alausa emphasized the urgent need to modernize agricultural education, pointing out that outdated curricula have hindered the sector’s potential. “Our Colleges and Universities of Agriculture must become engines of food security,” he said. “This committee has the opportunity to bridge the gap between potential and performance.”
The Minister disclosed that the Federal Government is finalizing a master plan to convert underutilized agricultural lands in tertiary institutions into active food production hubs. These facilities will serve as practical training grounds, equipping students with hands-on skills and entrepreneurial mindsets needed to thrive in agribusiness.
“We are determined to transform idle lands into innovation hubs where students gain real-life agricultural experience, not just theoretical knowledge,” Dr. Alausa stated.
Highlighting recent efforts to promote technical and vocational education, the Minister mentioned the Ministry’s TVET Data Dashboard, which recorded over 1.3 million Nigerians registering within 10 days. Notably, more than 210,000 applicants indicated interest in livestock farming, showcasing a surge in youth engagement with agriculture.
The committee’s mandate includes identifying agriculture-related programs in tertiary institutions, assessing the current status and age of existing curricula, reviewing curriculum development processes, and evaluating the resources required for comprehensive updates. The committee is also expected to recommend strategies for sustainable implementation.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), pledged that the team would deliver actionable recommendations within six weeks. “Our goal is to embed practical skills and modern techniques that make agriculture appealing to the youth,” Prof. Bugaje noted.
This curriculum reform initiative is part of the Federal Government’s broader agenda to boost food security, create employment opportunities, and foster innovation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
