By Stella Odueme
Nigeria’s Colleges of Agriculture have reaffirmed their critical role in transforming the country’s agricultural sector, revealing that they collectively train more than 50,000 technicians, technologists, artisans, farmers and agripreneurs every year while serving as a bridge between research and practical farming.
The achievements were highlighted during the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week and 10th FARA General Assembly on Wednesday, where the country’s Federal and State Colleges of Agriculture presented a joint paper titled “Success Stories of Colleges of Agriculture in Nigeria.”
The presentation was delivered by Jonathan Atungwu on behalf of the provosts of all Colleges of Agriculture in Nigeria.
The colleges noted that Africa’s food systems continue to face major challenges, including low agricultural productivity, climate change, post-harvest losses, weak seed systems, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance and policy constraints.
They stressed that overcoming these challenges requires increased investment in innovation, research, technology adoption and practical agricultural education.
According to the presentation, Nigeria’s Colleges of Agriculture remain the country’s oldest higher education institutions dedicated to agricultural training, tracing their roots from the establishment of the Agricultural Research Station at Moor Plantation, Ibadan, in 1893 and the School of Agriculture in 1921.
The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) currently coordinates 42 agricultural colleges, comprising 23 Federal and 19 State institutions, with mandates covering teaching, research, agricultural extension, manpower development and technology adaptation.
The colleges said they have become engines of innovation by promoting research, operating dedicated innovation centres and ensuring that scientific discoveries reach farmers through extension services and community outreach programmes.
They also highlighted the strong emphasis on practical training through the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), six-month farm placements, one-year industrial attachments, student-led enterprises and demonstration farms.
These initiatives, they said, have enabled more than 70 per cent of graduates to establish or join agribusinesses within two years of graduation.
The institutions reported significant progress in reducing post-harvest losses through improved farm coordination and value chain management, while climate-smart agricultural practices such as drip irrigation, greenhouse farming and demonstration plots have been introduced across campuses and surrounding communities.
Beyond training, the colleges said they are promoting youth and women inclusion, strengthening research-extension linkages, improving infrastructure and aligning their programmes with national agricultural policies.
They disclosed that improved crop varieties developed and disseminated through the institutions have helped farmers achieve yield increases of over 100 per cent in several locations, while more than 1,000 young graduates have been empowered as agribusiness entrepreneurs.
According to the presentation, innovations from the colleges have reached farmers in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through technology transfer programmes, demonstrating the effectiveness of Nigeria’s agricultural training model.
The institutions also showcased several innovations, including demonstration farms, agripreneurship laboratories, student-led enterprises and research commercialisation initiatives designed to bridge the gap between academic research and market needs.
They urged African countries to strengthen regional collaboration by replicating successful Nigerian models, promoting institutional partnerships and expanding knowledge-sharing networks to accelerate agricultural transformation across the continent.
Despite the progress, the colleges identified inadequate funding, weak commercialisation of research findings, low public awareness and policy gaps as major obstacles limiting the impact of agricultural innovations.
They called for stronger partnerships between government, research institutions and the private sector, increased investment in agricultural research, greater support for agribusiness incubation and entrepreneurship, and the replication of successful models across Nigeria and Africa.
The presentation concluded that agricultural colleges have already demonstrated their capacity to drive innovation and food security, adding that with sustained support they can play an even greater role in transforming Nigeria’s agrifood system and strengthening the continent’s agricultural future.
