The federal government has begun a nationwide review of agricultural curricula in polytechnics and colleges of education as part of efforts to close widening skills gaps and restore young Nigerians’ interest in agriculture.
The initiative was disclosed on Monday in Abuja by the Chairman of the Agriculture Curriculum Review Implementation Committee, Idris Bugaje, during a two-day national workshop on agricultural curriculum reform.
Bugaje, who also serves as Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, said many agricultural programmes have remained unchanged for over 15 years, making them outdated and less attractive to students.
He noted that the review would cover all 33 National Diploma and Higher National Diploma agricultural programmes, alongside more than 32 National Occupational Standards.
According to him, previous funding for curriculum updates had been insufficient, with about N50 million allocated annually to review over 320 curricula and more than 100 occupational standards.
“The work before this committee is critical because agriculture remains the backbone of the economy. It employs a large number of Nigerians and contributes significantly to GDP,” he said.
Bugaje added that declining admissions into agricultural studies were linked to outdated content that no longer reflects current realities in the sector.
He explained that the revised curriculum would emphasise practical, industry-relevant training rather than purely theoretical learning, with stronger private sector involvement to ensure graduates are better prepared for modern agricultural practices.
The committee will work through four thematic areas crops and agronomy, livestock, fisheries, and forestry – to develop implementation timelines and identify industry experts to support the process.
Bugaje clarified that university-level agriculture programmes under the National Universities Commission (NUC) would not be part of the immediate review due to its five-year curriculum cycle, with focus placed on institutions regulated by NBTE and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
He commended the Ministers of Education, Agriculture, and Livestock Development for supporting the initiative.
The Executive Secretary of the NCCE, Angela Ajala, stressed the need to shift agricultural training from theory to hands-on practice, warning that Nigeria faces shortages of extension workers and technical specialists.
“If Nigeria must secure its agricultural future, training must move from classroom theory to practical competence,” she said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Abubakar Dabban, said the council would provide technical support and strengthen linkages between research, training, and extension services.
He noted that ARCN oversees 19 research institutes and 17 federal colleges of agriculture across the country.
An international expert, Pascal Durand-Carrier, said ongoing skills-gap surveys would help align the revised curriculum with labour market demands and improve collaboration between academia and industry.
Stakeholders at the workshop expressed optimism that the review would produce a modern, practical curriculum capable of attracting young people into agriculture and strengthening national food security.