FG, Bank of Agriculture to Establish Tech-Driven Farms in 20 Tertiary Institutions – Alausa

The Federal Government is partnering with the Bank of Agriculture to establish technology-driven commercial agricultural hubs in 20 tertiary institutions across the country as part of efforts to promote agricultural innovation, entrepreneurship and youth employment.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while announcing the establishment of the Renewed Hope Tertiary Agricultural and Entrepreneurship Programme, which is designed to transform underutilised institutional farmlands into commercial agricultural hubs.
According to Alausa, the initiative forms part of the government’s commitment to equip five million Nigerians with relevant skills by 2030, with more than 500,000 hectares of land targeted for productive agricultural use.
Under the programme, each participating institution will have access to between N1 billion and N2 billion in financing, alongside tractors, modern farm equipment, improved seedlings, irrigation facilities and technical support.
The provision of modern agricultural equipment and irrigation facilities is expected to encourage the adoption of improved farming methods, strengthen agricultural productivity and connect academic research with practical agricultural operations.
The programme will primarily benefit students, unemployed graduates and alumni, while institutional staff and members of host communities will also have opportunities to participate in commercial farming.
Alausa said the initiative would go beyond boosting food production by connecting classroom learning and research with practical enterprise, repositioning tertiary institutions as centres of agricultural innovation, commercial production and job creation.
He added that the programme would equip young Nigerians with practical agricultural and entrepreneurial skills, creating opportunities for them to become entrepreneurs, employers and contributors to national food security.
Did you like this feature?