Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa has revealed that only selected
polytechnics and universities who are already into agriculture in Nigeria, such as Yaba College of Technology, Lagos,will benefiting from the Federation Government's planned one billion naira investment in agriculture in second quarter of 2025, to further boost food production in the country
The Minister of Education revealed this during his visit to the seventy-seven years old institution's Epe campus last Sunday for inspection with the officials of the Ministry of Education.
In his words, “the purpose of this visit was to raise further awareness of our 6-point agenda and encourage polytechnics and universities with agricultural departments to establish mechanized farms and engage in livestock farming”.
Given the country’s growing food insecurity, these initiatives will provide agriculture students with hands-on training and help them develop key skills needed for life after graduation and will also support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s goal to enhance food security and expand food production; the Minister stated.
Dr. Alausa, who was received by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Funso Afolabi, and the Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, emphasized the vital role of education in achieving national economic growth and development.
He highlighted agriculture as a key sector that institutions must integrate into their academic and research frameworks to address food security, create jobs, and stimulate the economy.
“Nigeria is blessed with vast arable land and natural resources. However, we need to harness the innovative capabilities of our tertiary institutions to revolutionize agriculture", Dr. Alausa stated
"This sector has the potential to be the cornerstone of our economy, and the involvement of our colleges and universities is critical to achieving this goal, "he maintained
Dr. Tunji Alausa, called on tertiary institutions in Nigeria to prioritize agriculture as the next wave of prosperity for the nation.
The Minister commended the College for its strides in promoting vocational and technical education.
He urged the institution to take the lead in developing innovative solutions that would empower students and researchers to make significant contributions to the agricultural sector.
The Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Afolabi, expressed appreciation for the Minister’s visit, describing it as timely and encouraging.
He assured the Minister of the institution’s commitment to supporting the federal government’s vision for a diversified economy through education.
The Rector of YabaTech, Dr. Abdul
also reaffirmed the institution’s dedication to aligning its academic programmes with the national agenda.
He highlighted some of the ongoing initiatives aimed at promoting agricultural innovation, including partnerships with industry players and the establishment of a demonstration farm for practical learning
No comments:
Post a Comment