The place of research and technological innovation cannot be over emphasized in modern agricultural development of any nation. Statistics has shown that agricultural research currently reduces the number of poor by 2.3 million or 0.8% annually. JOHN OBA writes.
While it is widely recognized that agricultural research is a key driver of broad-based technological change in agriculture that benefits the poor in many different ways, as it is said to impacted positively on the sector such that productivity growth could raise per capita incomes, with income increases finally having significant poverty-reducing effects.
Experts believed that with an aggregate rate of 55% return, the payoffs to agricultural research are impressive adding that with the expected effects of population growth in the near future and environmental degradation, the potential impacts of agricultural research are far greater and should be exploited by any university that is worth its salt.
But Nigeria Universities of Agriculture seems to have lost touch with this realities as they have all veered off their mandate as they now dabble into courses that ought to be offered by conventional universities. It is no more news that the agricultural universities have derailed from their statutory responsibility thereby running programmes that are antithetical to their mandates.
These institutions that were supposed to offer specialized programmes that would enhance the Nigeria agricultural sector are now found to be offering programmes in law, management courses such as accounting, banking and Finance, business administration, some even went to the extend of changing the nomenclature of some of the courses such as banking, engineering, accounting technology among others.
Universities of agriculture are supposed to be known for its high academic standards, research achievements and effective transfer of technology that is tailored toward agricultural development of it host countries.
They ought to have research stations, extension education units, agricultural technology information centre located across the length and breadth of the jurisdictional area of the University that will enhance extension services.
They are supposed to be foremost in the development of agriculturists by engaging in teaching, research and extension in agriculture, other specialized areas are agricultural economics, rural sociology and extension, animal science and animal production, crop and soil sciences, natural resources and environmental management, agricultural engineering and engineering technology, food and consumer science and technology and veterinary medicine. the colleges of natural sciences, physical and applied sciences, while also providing solid foundation for students before they embark on the applied sciences as well as conduct research in the basic sciences.
They are supposed to act as agents and catalysts, through postgraduate training, research and innovation for the effective and economic utilization, exploitation and conservation of Nigeria’s natural, agricultural, economic and human resources; while offering the general population, as a form of public service, the results of training and research in agriculture and allied disciplines and to foster the practical application of those results. But that seems not to be the case with our agric universities, even those with some research, the impacts are not felt in the agric sector.
Hence the federal government recent directive to domiciled all the Universities of agricultures under the ministry of agricultures with strict instructions for them to focus on their areas of specialization.
The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, also recently announced the domiciliation of the three Universities of Agriculture under the Ministry as part of efforts to get the sector back on its feet.
Saying the institutions wilderness wandering from the original domain over the past years have resulted in their near loss of identity and uniqueness. “Arising therefrom, regrettable, and inexplicably, they seemed disconnected from their core mandates, for over three decades, thereby losing focus, direction and balance,” he said.
He said the more compelling need to bring the universities on board is the recognition that this the right time for all key stakeholders and institutions in the agriculture sector to pull together under a common roof, and a joint platform to achieve a hunger free Nigeria as soon as possible.
“There is the desperate need to train and develop a new generation of farmers young, educated, enthusiastic, passionate and ambitious, to feed the nation in the coming years. Undoubtedly, our universities of agriculture have a great role to play in this regard, hence the need to enlist them for the accomplishment of this compelling strategic national imperative. You must lead from the front. You must offer us fresh perspectives on how to frontally address the multi-faceted challenges confronting our agricultural sector with a view to providing us enduring solutions. And the time for you to act is now, not tomorrow or the day after,” he charged.
He explained further that in order to kick-start the institutional renewal process of the institution he urged must change course and veer clear of non-agricultural courses in their curricula. Adding that the excuse that they offered the courses in the past to the public to enable them shore up their finances, in the face of dwindling budgetary allocation from government is no longer tenable.
“You can generate revenue to finance your operations through enhanced participation in agriculture just like some of the foremost universities did in the past.
“Henceforth, students not interested in becoming farmers should be made to seek admission elsewhere. Each undergraduate must own a farm on campus, and 60% of his or her cumulative score should be based on practical farming. A system should be put in place to ensure that each students is able to support himself/herself or his/her family from earnings, at school, from his/her profitable engagement in agricultural enterprise,” he instructed.
He charged the universities to surpass the achievement of Brazil, India or Russia, saying there is no reason Nigeria why Nigeria cannot feed the African continent, adding “we can live our dreams by matching or even surpassing the enviable records of the leading lights in agriculture across the world if we devote our minds to the accomplishment of great height.”
Emphasizing on the important of research, he said, Nigeria have achieved very little, urging the Universities to brass up to the challenge saying this need to be redressed urgently, because research is the universities core business.
“Research is your core business. The opportunities in research are limitless. For example, you can earn huge incomes from hybrid seed alone. We will not leave you alone in this area of crucial importance. We will work with you and work through you to get it done.”
Experts also believe that the universities can earn more in research than what they are earning currently from offering antithetical courses that are not part of their mandate.
