The Federal Government has launched a sweeping reform of Nigeria’s agricultural education system aimed at boosting food production and creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians.

The initiative, unveiled in Abuja, is a joint effort between the Federal Ministries of Education and Agriculture and Food Security.

According to a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo, the reform will modernize the agricultural curriculum across tertiary institutions, aligning it with current industry practices and technological advancements.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the overhaul as a strategic move to reposition agriculture as a key pillar of national development. He said the initiative supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision for a technology-driven agricultural sector capable of addressing food insecurity and driving economic diversification.

Alausa expressed concern over declining enrollment in agricultural courses, citing data from the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which showed that nearly 48 percent of available slots in agricultural programmes went unfilled. He warned that the shortfall poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s food security ambitions.

“In the last three years, thousands of admission slots in agricultural programmes have remained vacant. This is a serious gap in a sector that should be central to our national development,” Alausa said.

Despite the drop in university enrollment, the minister noted a surge in applications for vocational and technical agricultural training. Of the over 900,000 applications received for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), more than 210,000 were for livestock farming, placing agriculture just behind garment making in popularity.

“This shows that young Nigerians are eager to gain practical agricultural skills, but the outdated tertiary curriculum has not kept pace with modern realities,” Alausa added.

The government’s reform plan includes integrating hands-on training, innovation, and value-chain development into agricultural education. The goal is to strengthen production zones, enhance export capacity, and generate jobs.

Alausa cited the Republic of Benin’s transformation in cotton processing as a model, noting that the country increased its earnings from $500 million in raw cotton exports to $12 billion in processed products, creating over 25,000 jobs.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, emphasized the need to align education and training systems with national priorities. He said practical skills and innovation must replace outdated theoretical approaches to drive agricultural transformation and achieve food sovereignty.

The reform is expected to revitalize interest in agricultural careers and equip a new generation of Nigerians with the tools to lead the country’s push toward sustainable food systems and economic resilience.