ARCN Boss Visits FCA Ibadan, Promises Better Funding, Reforms
0
0
ARCN Boss Visits FCA Ibadan, Promises Better Funding, Reforms
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, ARCN, Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has promised improved funding and reforms for agricultural colleges across the country to strengthen their role in national food security.
Dabban made the pledge on Tuesday during a familiarisation visit to the Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan.
He said the Council was committed to repositioning agricultural research, training and extension services in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our work is central to agriculture, which remains one of the strongest drivers of Nigeria’s economy. Under the declared state of emergency on food security, expectations are high. We must therefore boost research, manpower training and extension activities to improve productivity and fast-track innovation,” Dabban said.
READ ALSO: REGISTER: REGISTER: Southwest Alumni Open Career Training Portal for UNILORIN Graduates
The ARCN boss disclosed that the Council had reopened talks with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to extend interventions to Federal Colleges of Agriculture.
He also revealed ongoing reviews of service conditions and schemes for staff in the subsector, aimed at improving welfare and institutional efficiency.
He listed other reforms to include strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, updating management guidelines, and demanding timely submission of budgets, research outputs, staff records and reports from agricultural colleges.
Earlier, the Provost of FCA Ibadan, Prof. Jonathan Atungwu, described the visit as historic, saying it reaffirmed ARCN’s commitment to repositioning the colleges for greater impact.
Atungwu, who noted that the institution was established in 1921 as the premier agricultural college in West Africa, said it had continued to produce middle-level manpower for Nigeria’s agricultural development.
“There is a need to run colleges of agriculture like universities and polytechnics, adopting global best practices. We also appreciate the Council’s effort to ensure we benefit from TETFUND intervention,” he said.
The visit brought together leaders of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan, the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, as well as staff and students of the institutions.
