The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Construction, Senator Saliu Mustapha, has advocated for the advent of obligatory, hands-on agricultural research on the secondary faculty stage.
The senator made the attraction right through a crowd lecture organised by way of the Branch of Agricultural Extension and Rural Construction on the College of Ilorin on Thursday.
In a keynote delivered by way of Prof. Binta Sulyman of Kwara Condition College, Malete, Senator Mustapha wired the will for sensible agricultural training from an early year to shift farming from being seen as mere subsistence to a viable occupation.
“We wish to get thinking about agriculture if we’re to feed our rising community and let go our over-reliance on imports.
“Making agriculture a compulsory and practical subject in secondary schools is a critical step in that direction”, he stated.
Mustapha expressed worry over the declining hobby in agriculture amongst younger Nigerians, attributing it to old-fashioned perceptions of farming as labour-intensive and unrewarding.
He argued that exposing scholars to trendy, technology-driven agriculture—corresponding to mechanized farming, agribusiness, and sustainable practices—may reignite hobby within the sector.
“Countries like Israel and India have demonstrated how a strong emphasis on agricultural education can turn around their food production capabilities. Nigeria must follow suit by ensuring that every child learns not only the theory of farming but the practical aspects as well,” he stated.
He additionally emphasized that obligatory agricultural research may support cope with emerging unemployment, equipping younger community with talents to project into farming, agribusiness, and indistinguishable industries. An agrarian-focused curriculum, he argued, would construct problem-solvers able to contributing meaningfully to lowering the folk’s meals import invoice.
“Beyond feeding ourselves, we must see agriculture as a business. Agriculture should not just be about producing food for the table, but it should be viewed as a business model that can generate wealth for millions of Nigerians,” he added.
The senator advised stakeholders in training, agriculture, and policymaking to collaborate in making sure the implementation of those concepts.
He praised the Federal Ministry of Schooling for its efforts to revise the curriculum however cautioned that coverage should be translated into motion.
“There has been enough talk. What we need now are concrete actions, and that includes making sure that schools are equipped with the necessary facilities—farms, greenhouses, and modern farming tools—to make this hands-on agricultural education a reality,” he concluded.
The decision comes at a year when Nigeria faces a couple of demanding situations within the agricultural sector, together with an aging farming community, needful get entry to to trendy farming applied sciences, and underutilized arable land.
Mavens warn that with out vital coverage shifts, the rustic’s objective of accomplishing meals safety might stay inconceivable.