The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has called for the implementation of the amended Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) Act.
According to the minister, it will provide for efficient management of research and training.
This he said also provided for the establishment of spinoff companies to commercialise research products and innovations generated by the institutions.
Addressing the Chief Executive Officers of the National Agricultural Research Institutes, Federal Colleges of Agriculture and Directors of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Friday in Abuja, Kyari urged them to strengthen the platform as a means of increasing the internally generated revenue of their institutions in order to augment the available fund for research, training and extension activities.
Kyari, who was represented by the Minister of State, Senator, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said, “Agriculture is the singular most important sector that can transform the economy of our great country to meet the growing demands for food, nutrition, industry and jobs.
“Accordingly, increase in agricultural productivity is the key determinant for socio-economic transformation and thus livelihood improvements in Nigeria. Improvement in agricultural productivity has been proven to take millions of people out of food insecurity and low-income status to food secured and improved living standards.
“To drive agricultural transformation, research and training plays a pivotal role. It is the engine room for agricultural development and our priority as a Ministry is therefore to reposition the National Agricultural Research System for greater productivity. This is the main reason why the Federal Government of Nigeria is insisting on the implementation of ARCN Act.
“I am using this occasion to direct the Colleges to put emphasis on vocational and skill acquisition in your training programmes. Consequently, I expect your training programmes to be more practical and less theoretical. This will enable the beneficiaries of these training programmes to have practical and working knowledge of agricultural businesses. The ARCN should therefore work with relevant stakeholders in the agricultural education sub-sector to actualise this directive,” he said.
He reiterated the previous directive that available lands within the various agricultural research and training institutions should be channeled to production.
“I therefore wish to reiterate that all of you should key into this initiative of the Ministry aimed at promoting food production in the country.
“I am aware that the mandate of this meeting is to share ideas to come up with projects that cut across the mandate of various institutions which include technological development on machinery, genetic improvement, extension delivery and training of our youth to embrace agriculture as a business.
“These to my knowledge are main functions of the various agricultural research institutes and colleges of agriculture under the purview of my Ministry. Consequently, I would direct the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria to exercise their principal function of advising the Federal Government through my Ministry on matters related to agricultural research, training and extension services of Nigeria. I am expecting such advice as promptly as possible.
“It is the vision of this administration to deploy positive initiatives within the confines of law to ensure stability and a favourable environment for all institutions under the purview of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to deliver their mandates of moving Nigeria’s agricultural sector forward,” he said.
