FG Unveils N2bn Agricultural Support for 40 Tertiary Institutions

The Federal Government has unveiled a N2 billion agricultural financing package for each of 40 tertiary institutions under its Renewed Hope Tertiary Agricultural and Entrepreneurship Programme.

The initiative aims to boost food production, promote agricultural research and create employment opportunities by turning more than 500,000 hectares of underutilised land across tertiary institutions into commercial farms.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the programme during a meeting with heads of the selected institutions and the management of the Bank of Agriculture.

Alausa said the initiative would address the poor utilisation of agricultural land in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. He explained that the government would provide funding, machinery and technical support to make farming commercially viable.

Under the arrangement, each participating institution will provide about 1,000 hectares of land. However, institutions with smaller landholdings may qualify if they present viable business proposals.

The minister said each institution would establish a limited liability company to manage its agricultural operations in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture. The bank will provide between N1 billion and N2 billion in financing to support production and other agricultural activities.

He added that the programme would build on earlier government interventions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which approved between N1 billion and N2 billion for selected institutions.

The Federal Ministry of Education has also earmarked N20 billion in its capital budget to support 20 tertiary institutions under the agricultural development initiative.

To improve productivity, Alausa said participating institutions would access 10 tractors each at subsidised rates through the government’s agricultural mechanisation initiative.

The support package will also include improved seedlings, farm implements, irrigation equipment, water pumps, fertilisers and technical expertise.

Beyond farm production, the government plans to establish partnerships with produce aggregators to guarantee markets for harvested crops and reduce post-harvest losses.

Alausa said the programme would eventually extend to food processing and other agro-allied activities to establish a sustainable agricultural value chain.

He noted that commercial agriculture offered significant employment opportunities for students, unemployed graduates and alumni. Academic and non-academic staff, as well as members of host communities, would also participate.

According to him, lecturers and agricultural experts would supervise participants, giving them practical farming experience while exposing them to entrepreneurship and the economic benefits of commercial agriculture.

The minister projected that the initiative could attract investments worth trillions of naira in the coming years. He said it would also reposition tertiary institutions as centres of agricultural innovation and commercial production.

He maintained that universities and other institutions should contribute actively to the country’s agricultural economy rather than depend solely on government funding.

The Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, welcomed the initiative, describing it as an opportunity to expand the institution’s agricultural research and production capacity.

Ahmed said the university had established agricultural facilities, including the Institute of Agricultural Research, the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services and its Faculty of Agriculture.

He expressed confidence that the partnership would provide the financial and technical support needed to translate research findings into commercial production and create opportunities for students.

Similarly, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr Chioma Irene Awuzie, commended President Bola Tinubu and the education minister for the initiative.

She said the programme would help the institution maximise its available land through mechanised farming and improve agricultural production.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, said the programme would unlock the agricultural potential of tertiary institutions through sustainable financing and market linkages.

Sotinrin explained that the bank would help institutions commercialise research, improve farm productivity and create economic opportunities for students and unemployed graduates.

He added that the initiative would enable universities to supply agricultural produce beyond their immediate communities while generating revenue from their investments.

Alausa reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with the Bank of Agriculture, relevant government agencies and participating institutions to ensure successful implementation.

He said the programme formed part of the government’s efforts to strengthen food security, expand youth employment and position tertiary institutions as key contributors to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.