Prioritise vocational, skills acquisition trainings, FG tells colleges of agric

THE Federal Government has directed the federal colleges of agriculture to devote more time and resources to vocational and skills acquisition training programmes to boost food production and ensure food security in the country.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, gave the charge in Abuja at the meeting of the executive directors of the National Agricultural Research Institutes, provosts of the Federal Colleges of Agriculture and directors of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria.

The minister, who was represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abduallahi, tasked them to focus more on practicals and less on theory to enable the beneficiaries of such trainings to have practical and working knowledge of agricultural businesses.

Furthermore, Kyari directed the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) to work with key stakeholders in the agricultural education sub-sector to actualise the directive.

The minister further charged them to use the available lands within the various agricultural research and training institutions for agricultural production.

He said: “You will recall my earlier directive that available lands within the various agricultural research and training institutions should be channelled toward agricultural production.

“I, therefore, wish to reiterate that all of you should key into this initiative of the ministry aimed at promoting food production in the country.”

The minister, who underscored the importance of agricultural research, pointed out that to “drive agricultural transformation, research and training play a pivotal role.”

According to him, “Agriculture is the singular most important sector that can transform the economy of our great country to meet the growing demands for food, nutrition, industry and jobs.

“Accordingly, increase in agricultural productivity is the key determinant for socioeconomic transformation and thus livelihood improvements in Nigeria.

“Improvement in agricultural productivity has been proven to take millions of people out of food insecurity and low-income status to food security and improved living standards.

“It is the engine room for agricultural development and our priority as a ministry is, therefore, to reposition the National Agricultural Research System for greater productivity.”

Kyari, while revealing the reason for the Federal Government’s insistence on the implementation of ARCN Act, said the amendment of the Act has made provisions for “efficient management of research and training including the establishment of spin-off companies to commercialise research products and innovations generated by our institutions.”

He, therefore, urged them to strengthen the platform as a means of increasing the internally generated revenue of their institutions to augment the available fund for research, training and extension activities.

In his welcome remarks, Professor Garba Sharubutu, Executive Secretary of ARCN, commended the minister for his contributions to the development of the council, recalling that the minister was one of those who initiated the amendment of ARCN Act 2021.

Sharubutu noted that the meeting was convened for various stakeholders to deliberate on the content of the amended ARCN Act as well as consider the issues of revenue generation, performance based evaluation system and the restructuring of ARCN.