FG overhauls agricultural education to boost food security, youth employment

The federal government has unveiled sweeping reforms in agricultural education aimed at addressing food security challenges, boosting youth employment, and modernising training to meet current industry demands.

The reform, jointly announced by the Federal Ministries of Education and Agriculture and Food Security, introduces a new Agricultural Curriculum Framework designed to reposition agriculture as a central pillar of national development and align it with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for a technology-driven agricultural economy.

Speaking at the official presentation of the framework in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa (CON), described the initiative as a strategic step toward reviving interest in agricultural studies and ensuring the sector’s long-term sustainability.

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

According to the minister, the 2024 UTME admission statistics revealed that 47.92% of admissions allocated to agricultural programmes remained unutilised, despite the nation’s huge investments in the sector. He expressed optimism that the new curriculum will rekindle young Nigerians’ interest in agriculture by modernising learning and integrating technology.

Contrasting this trend, Dr. Alausa noted the surge in vocational agricultural applications, revealing that out of over 900,000 TVET applications, more than 210,000 were for livestock farming, while agriculture as a whole ranked closely behind garment making with 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“This shows that young Nigerians are eager to gain practical agricultural skills, but the outdated tertiary curriculum has not kept pace with modern realities,” he added.

The minister further highlighted that the Federal Government, through the new framework, plans to align agricultural training with Special Agricultural Processing and Production Zones being developed nationwide to enhance value addition and job creation.

Citing a model from the Republic of Benin, Dr. Alausa noted that the country increased its cotton export value from $500 million in raw cotton to $12 billion in processed products, employing over 25,000 youths. He said Nigeria intends to replicate such success through practical, production-oriented education.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, underscored the need for synergy between education and agricultural enterprise to achieve food sovereignty.

“Food security cannot be achieved without aligning our education and training systems with national priorities,” Senator Abdullahi said. “Our curriculum must equip graduates not just with theoretical knowledge but with the practical skills and innovation needed to drive agricultural transformation.”

The new Agricultural Curriculum Framework, developed collaboratively by the two ministries, provides a roadmap for integrating modern technologies, promoting agripreneurship, and preparing Nigeria’s education system for global competitiveness.

The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its readiness to work with stakeholders across all tiers of government to ensure full implementation of the framework for a modern, inclusive, and industry-driven agricultural education system.