Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund ,TETFund, will allocate N1bn to tertiary institutions for the establishment of mechanized farming systems, livestock production, and the adoption of cutting-edge agricultural technologies.
The minister made this announcement in a X post on Monday night.
He disclosed that plans are being put in place, with him and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Aliyu S. Abdullahi, to discuss ways to align Federal Schools of Agriculture with industry needs.
According to him, the meeting also led to the decision to review and update the curriculum at Federal Schools of Agriculture to equip students with practical skills and knowledge needed to address modern farming challenges.
Alausa further added that a Technical Inter-Ministerial Committee will be inaugurated to oversee this process.
“The committee will include the following representatives: Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education ,NBTE, Chairman, TETFUND, Director of Polytechnic, FME, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission ,NUC, Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education ,NCCE, Executive Secretary Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria ,ARCN, Directors from the Ministry of Agriculture and Private sector”, he said.
This initiative aligns with President’s Nigeria Policy and the Federal Ministry of Education’s Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative ,NESRI, Agenda, aiming to achieve food sovereignty, reduce dependency on imports, and strengthen the agricultural economy.
“The transformation of Nigeria’s food systems is urgently needed. We must move toward food sovereignty, ensuring that Nigeria can feed itself and reduce dependency on imports. By focusing on local production and consumption, we can reduce food imports, strengthen our agricultural economy, and ensure that Nigerian farmers thrive”, he said.
The Minister expressed optimism that these new initiatives and funding will make a lasting impact on the sector, ensuring a sustainable future for Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.
“This meeting marks an important step toward transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through education, collaboration, and innovation. The work ahead is crucial, and both Ministries are optimistic that the new initiatives and funding will make a lasting impact on the sector.
“Together, we can achieve food sovereignty and a sustainable future for Nigeria”, he said.
