Govt Plans Overhaul Of Agricultural Education To Drive Food Security

The Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has unveiled reforms to modernise agricultural curricula, attract young people, and align training with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for a technology-driven agricultural sector.

At the presentation of the new Agricultural Curriculum Framework in Abuja, the minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as a pivotal step in repositioning agriculture as a pillar of national development.

In a press statement issued by the director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, the minister expressed concern over the persistent decline in enrolment into agricultural degree programmes in the nation’s tertiary institutions despite the government’s heavy investment in the sector.

Alausa said in the 2024 UTME statistics on applications and admissions, 47.92% of the allocated admissions were not utilised. While there are thousands of open slots in agricultural courses annually, only a fraction is filled, posing a serious challenge to Nigeria’s long-term food security and economic growth.

“Agriculture is a major national priority, but enrolment in agriculture in higher institutions is dropping,” he said. “In the last three years, there have been thousands of open slots in agriculture, but only a fraction has been taken.

“This is a serious gap, especially in an area that should ensure food security for Nigeria and make the country an export hub for agricultural products,” he said.

The minister contrasted this with the growing enthusiasm for vocational and technical agricultural training. “Of the over 900,000 TVET applications received recently, more than 210,000 were for livestock farming alone, while agriculture overall ranked close to garment making, which recorded over 260,000 applicants.

“This shows that young Nigerians are eager to gain practical agricultural skills, but the outdated tertiary curriculum has not kept pace with modern realities,” Alausa said.

He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to modernising agricultural education to meet industry needs and align with emerging opportunities.

“That’s why the Ministry of Education and state governments have agreed to modernise the curriculum to meet the needs of modern agricultural education.

“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the government has already begun creating Special Agricultural Processing and Production Zones to add value and create new value chains that will employ hundreds of thousands of Nigerians,” the minister said.

He cited Republic of Benin’s cotton processing model bordering Borgu, Niger State, as an example of value addition and youth empowerment.

“Benin moved from earning $500 million in raw cotton exports to $12 billion in processed cotton products, employing over 25,000 young people. Nigeria will replicate this success through curriculum reform and practical agricultural education that supports our production zones and export diversification goals.”

The minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, echoed Alausa’s position, emphasising that Nigeria’s food sovereignty agenda demands a comprehensive overhaul of agricultural education.

“As Nigeria seeks to diversify, we need more people engaged in agricultural enterprise. Food security cannot be achieved without aligning our education and training systems with national priorities. Our curriculum must equip graduates with theoretical knowledge and the practical skills and innovation needed to drive agricultural transformation.”

The newly developed Agricultural Curriculum Framework provides a roadmap for modernising agricultural education, strengthening technical and vocational training.

It also aligns Nigeria’s education system with global best practices to support the nation’s food security, youth employment and economic diversification agenda.