The Federal Government is targeting more than 500,000 hectares of underutilised land in tertiary institutions for commercial agriculture, research and agribusiness development under a new initiative designed to boost food production and create jobs.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, announcing plans to provide up to N2 billion in financing to each of 40 universities, polytechnics and colleges of education under the Renewed Hope Tertiary Agricultural and Entrepreneurship Programme.
The programme will require participating institutions to make about 1,000 hectares available for farming, although those with smaller landholdings may qualify if their proposals demonstrate viability. According to a statement by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Attah Ikharo, the institutions will establish limited liability companies to partner with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) in managing the commercial ventures.
The BOA is expected to provide between N1 billion and N2 billion per institution for production and related inputs, building on earlier Federal Government interventions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The ministry has also earmarked N20 billion in its capital budget to support 20 institutions.
To facilitate large-scale production, each participating institution will have access to 10 tractors at reduced costs, as well as seedlings, farm implements, irrigation equipment, water pumps, fertilisers and technical support. Produce aggregators will also be engaged to purchase harvested crops and limit post-harvest losses.
Alausa said the programme would extend into processing and other agro-allied activities, creating integrated agricultural value chains within campuses. Students, unemployed graduates, alumni, staff and host communities are expected to participate under the guidance of lecturers and agricultural experts, gaining practical skills and opportunities to earn from farm proceeds.
He projected that the initiative could attract trillions of naira in investment in the coming years, while positioning tertiary institutions as hubs for agricultural innovation and commercial production.
The Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said the programme would help translate the university’s agricultural research into commercial output, citing its Institute of Agricultural Research, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, and Faculty of Agriculture as existing assets.
The Rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, also said the initiative would enable the institution to deploy mechanised farming to maximise its available land.
The Managing Director of the BOA, Ayo Sotinrin, said the bank would provide financing and market linkages to commercialise research, improve productivity and expand opportunities for students and unemployed graduates. He added that participating institutions could supply food beyond their host communities while generating revenue from their farms.
