By Abdullahi Lukman
The Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions has announced plans to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural education and research system to improve food security and create jobs nationwide.
Chairman of the committee, Sharafadeen Alli, disclosed this during a media parley in Ibadan on Monday ahead of the maiden National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions scheduled to hold from Tuesday to Friday.
Alli said the committee had begun diplomatic engagements with countries including Malaysia, Brazil, China, Germany, India and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, to promote technology transfer, investment and specialised training for Nigeria’s agricultural institutions.
According to him, the committee aims to transform agricultural institutions from theory-driven centres into practical and innovation-based hubs capable of producing skilled manpower for the sector.
He stated that between 60 and 70 per cent of agricultural training would now focus on practical areas such as crop production, livestock and agribusiness.
The senator also revealed that the committee was reviewing laws guiding the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria to improve the efficiency of more than 16 affiliated research institutes and align them with the country’s food security goals.
He added that the Senate supports the establishment of specialised institutions, including the proposed Federal College of Agriculture in Shani, Borno State, to expand agricultural development in underserved areas.
Alli further noted that the committee had continued to engage heads of agricultural agencies and over 35 research institutes to ensure meaningful contributions to national food production.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the National Horticultural Research Institute, Muhammed Attanda, described the planned summit as timely, stressing the need for stronger legislative backing for agricultural development.
He said many agricultural research institutions in Nigeria lacked adequate visibility despite producing innovations capable of competing globally.
Also speaking, Acting Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Adedeji
Abiodun, called for stronger collaboration between Nigerians and agricultural institutions, noting that research centres require more support and resources to function effectively.
Similarly, Acting Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Oluwatosin Gabriel, emphasised the importance of research in national development and urged both federal and state governments to provide greater support for the agricultural sector.