A former Provost at the College of Agriculture, Akure, Dr. Samson Odedina, has called on Nigerian Universities and other tertiary institutions to prepare their students for employment and wealth creation in the agricultural sector.
Speaking at a public lecture titled ‘Agricultural Development and the 21st Century Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects’ at Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, Odedina urged stakeholders in the agricultural sector and tertiary institutions to collaborate to ensure the country achieves food security sufficiency.
He identified infrastructural deficit, land issues, finances, input, technology, and lack of value chain coordination as challenges to Nigeria’s agricultural development. While speaking on the way forward, he stressed that universities should be fully involved in agricultural education, value chain coordination, agricultural financing, seeking international support for agriculture such as the project on “Special Agro Processing Zone of African Development Bank”, infrastructure provision, market linkage, and centres for large orders, among others.
During the lecture, Odedina commended Achievers University for engaging in various agricultural programmes for their students and expressed confidence in the institution’s ability to take the lead in agricultural development owing to their environment and style.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Dr. Bode Ayorinde, explained that varsities’ proprietors should introduce and train their students in the agricultural economy to tackle the problem of unemployment in the country. He further stated that the community benefits from such initiatives as whatever they produce goes to the community and the immediate environment.
The call for universities to equip their students for employment and wealth creation in the agricultural sector comes as Nigeria is making moves to diversify its economy and improve food security.
