Dr. Alausa, Sabi Abdullahi Unveil New Agricultural Curriculum to Tackle Food Crisis

Dr. Alausa, Sabi Abdullahi Unveil New Agricultural Curriculum to Tackle Food Crisis
Alausa described the move as a pivotal step toward repositioning agriculture as a foundation for national development
Abdullahi noted that achieving food sovereignty requires overhauling agricultural education to align with industry demands

The Federal Government has announced major reforms to modernise agricultural education, attract young Nigerians into the sector, and address the nation’s growing food security challenges.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the initiative, jointly launched by the Federal Ministries of Education and Agriculture and Food Security, seeks to update agricultural curricula across tertiary and technical institutions in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for a technology-driven and self-sustaining agricultural economy.

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Speaking during the official presentation of the new Agricultural Curriculum Framework in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, described the move as a pivotal step toward repositioning agriculture as a foundation for national development.

Dr. Alausa expressed concern over the persistent decline in enrolment into agricultural degree programmes despite Nigeria’s heavy investments in the sector. He cited data from the 2024 UTME admissions showing that 47.92% of allocated admissions into agricultural programmes were unfilled, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the country’s long-term food security and economic growth.

Dr. Alausa, Sabi Abdullahi Unveil New Agricultural Curriculum to Tackle Food Crisis

“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, but only a fraction have been taken. This is a serious gap, especially in an area that should ensure food security for Nigeria.”

The Minister noted that, in contrast, vocational and technical agricultural training is gaining traction among young people. “Out of over 900,000 TVET applications received recently, more than 210,000 were for livestock farming alone,” he said, adding that the new curriculum aims to bridge the gap between practical training and formal education.

Dr. Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to aligning education with national economic priorities. “Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, we are creating Special Agricultural Processing and Production Zones to add value and create jobs for hundreds of thousands of Nigerians,” he said.

He referenced the Republic of Benin’s cotton processing success, which boosted the country’s revenue from $500 million in raw exports to $12 billion in processed goods while employing over 25,000 young people, a model Nigeria intends to replicate.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said achieving food sovereignty requires overhauling agricultural education to align with industry demands.

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

The newly developed Agricultural Curriculum Framework provides a roadmap for modernising agricultural education, strengthening technical and vocational training, and promoting innovation to support food security, youth employment, and economic diversification.

The Ministry of Education reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that the revised curriculum delivers modern, inclusive, and industry-relevant training across all levels of education.