Senate moves to reboot Agricultural Colleges
The Senate has stepped up moves to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural colleges and research institutions. It reached out to key global partners to drive reforms, technology transfer and fresh investments into
- Red Chamber woos global powers ahead of May summit
- From Sanni Onogu, Abuja
The Senate has stepped up moves to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural colleges and research institutions.
It reached out to key global partners to drive reforms, technology transfer and fresh investments into the sector.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, involves strategic engagements with Malaysia, the European Union, Brazil, China, Germany, India, and the United Kingdom as part of a broader plan to revitalise agricultural education and research.
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The chairman of the committee, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, announced this during a series of high-level visits to diplomatic missions in Abuja.
The committee chairman stressed the National Assembly’s resolve to harness international expertise to boost productivity, build capacity and create jobs.
The engagements, he said, are in preparation for the maiden National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Research Institutions scheduled to hold from May 11 to 13 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by the committee said the summit is meant to mobilise global support, strengthen institutional frameworks, and showcase innovations capable of accelerating Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.
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Alli explained that the committee was deliberately forging strategic alliances with leading agricultural nations to promote research collaboration, mechanisation and the adoption of modern farming techniques.
At the Malaysian High Commission, the committee chairman highlighted the Asian nation’s global leadership in palm oil production, noting that Nigeria stands to benefit from its expertise in agro-industrial development and value chain optimisation.
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During talks with the European Union Delegation, the lawmaker expressed excitement about ongoing interventions in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, particularly in oil palm research.
He called for deeper collaboration to address climate change, soil degradation and food security challenges.
Alli also applauded Brazil’s highly productive agricultural system at the Brazilian Embassy, stressing that Nigeria could replicate similar successes through partnerships in mechanisation, irrigation and yield improvement.
The committee chairman said engagements with representatives of China and Germany focused on agricultural engineering, precision farming and research-driven innovation as critical areas of cooperation.
At the Indian High Commission, discussions centred on agro-technology, research exchange and capacity building, especially in smallholder farming, where India has recorded notable progress.
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During meetings at the British High Commission and with Paraguayan representatives, Nigeria spoke about exploring opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties in agricultural education, research funding and institutional reforms.
Alli emphasised that agriculture remained central to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda, with vast potential for job creation, poverty reduction and rural development.
He reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to enacting legislation that would deepen partnerships, promote innovation and drive sustainable reforms across the sector.
The committee chairman also urged diplomatic missions to participate actively in the forthcoming summit, expressing confidence that its outcome would shape policy direction and provide a roadmap for revitalising agricultural institutions nationwide.
