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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

Nigeria adds export management, other courses to agricultural curriculum

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Nigeria's Federal Government has introduced new agricultural programs in polytechnics and colleges of education.
  • The new courses aim to equip graduates with practical skills for modern agriculture, including export management and organic production.
  • This initiative seeks to update outdated curricula, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost Nigeria's agricultural exports and value chains.

Nigeria's Federal Government is overhauling agricultural education by introducing new programs in polytechnics and colleges of education. The initiative aims to equip graduates with practical, industry-relevant skills needed for contemporary farming practices and the global market.

We are talking about greenhouse farming, hydroponics, aeroponics and all forms of agriculture. And then we continue to train our students, our citizens, theoretically.

— Dr. Tunji AlausaThe Minister of Education explaining the need for updated agricultural curricula.

Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, announced the introduction of courses in produce inspection and export management, post-harvest technology, organic crop and animal production, and hydrology. He stated that the existing curricula were outdated and failed to prepare students for the realities of modern agriculture, leading to poorly trained graduates.

"We are talking about greenhouse farming, hydroponics, aeroponics and all forms of agriculture. And then we continue to train our students, our citizens, theoretically," Alausa explained. He highlighted that many institutions lack adequate demonstration farms and teach obsolete content, hindering graduates' practical abilities.

We now have a new programme in OND and HND in Produce Inspection and Export Management. That’s very key.

— Dr. Tunji AlausaHighlighting a key new program to boost agricultural exports.

The new Produce Inspection and Export Management program, offered at National Diploma and Higher National Diploma levels, is designed to bolster Nigeria's agricultural export drive and economic diversification. Additionally, the Post-Harvest Technology program addresses the significant issue of produce waste, which Alausa noted accounts for nearly 45 to 50 percent of agricultural output.

We all agree today that almost 45 to 50 per cent of our agricultural produce goes into waste.

— Dr. Tunji AlausaExplaining the importance of the Post-Harvest Technology program.

This curriculum review also produced 31 National Occupational Standards, with 27 being entirely new. This expansion from the previous four standards is expected to significantly enhance skills training in the agricultural sector, preparing a new generation of professionals for a more productive and competitive agricultural landscape.

In the past, we had only four occupational standards in agriculture. So, this is a major boost to skills training in the field of agriculture.

— Dr. Tunji AlausaDescribing the expansion of occupational standards in agriculture.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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