Agric sector to receive boost as NALDA establishes Agribusiness Institute in Nigeria

…certificate course program to commence in September 2024

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) in a bid to address the challenge of an aging population of farmers in the country has established the institute of Agribusiness across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

According to Paul Ikonne, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, the institute of Agribusiness and entrepreneurship is aimed at supporting the growth and development of Agribusiness in Nigeria by transforming agribusiness into a modern and appealing career path for the youths.

He explained that through a combination of practical training, specialized curriculum, technology, and entrepreneurial education in the field of agribusiness and agronomic practices,
the country will be positioned to attain food security and ensuring a stable and sufficient food supply in line with President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda.

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“As Nigeria faces the pressing challenge of an aging population of farmers, The NALDA Institute targets catching the youngsters early in life from the Primary to the tertiary level by introducing them to Agribusiness early while also serving as a platform for professional research.

“We came up with NALDA Institute of agribusiness and entrepreneurship that has the approval of Mr. President. And today, that school is taking off in September. We have students that are going to start in September; the one in Abia is fully ready and commencing the 2024/2025 academic session this September.

“The one in Ogun is 99 percent to completion and they will commence academic sesession by next year. The Institute in Katsina is 89 percent complete. So, these are projects that we initiated with the idea and knowledge that if we don’t catch them young into agriculture, agricultural production and agribusiness, Nigeria we will lose farmers as the current generation of farmers are aging and retiring.

“This is why we came up with the NALDA Institute of agribusiness and entrepreneurship from primary to secondary to OND level,” he said.

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The Institute, according to him is currently running government approved certificate courses on fishery, poultry, Snailery, and hatchery.

Speaking on the activities of NALDA, Ikonne explaoned that the Authority has embarked on the distribution of farm inputs such as seeds, herbicides, and pesticides to farmers across the country. Adding that neneficiaries which consists of mainly women and youth were trained on best agronomic practices for improved yields with over 10 states benefitting so far.

“NALDA also embarked on seed distribution. This initiative began last year, we started distributing inputs where we give out bags of 10 kg that will help farmers to cultivate a hectare fully with all the inputs required for the cultivation of maize, rice and beans.

“We have drones, you know, Mechanization is key in agriculture, making it easy. We have about five drones for aerial mapping and for spraying fertilizers and herbicides. So these are equipment that we have acquired outside of our tractors, combine harvesters, that we are using for large production, in states like Benue, we harvested from 200 hectares of rice last season” he said.

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Ikonne also disclosed that NALDA is currently collating data of farmers in Nigeria to ensure comprehensive data base of farmers and also ensure that only genuine farmers get needed government support.