Agriculture

Young Nigerians studying agriculture struggle to innovate amid poor facilities

Published

2 months ago

September 23, 2025

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At Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Stephanie Michael, a final-year Crop Science and Horticulture student, points toward a makeshift nursery, a thatched-roof structure supported by bamboo sticks, housing plants labelled with students’ names. “That’s our nursery for plants,” she said.

Exposed to direct sunlight and an uncontrolled environment, the plants struggle to thrive, mirroring the challenges faced by students like Ms Michael. Without a greenhouse, the Faculty of Agriculture cannot provide the controlled conditions essential for experiments, limiting both plant growth and student learning.

A greenhouse is a structure designed to regulate the temperature and humidity inside. Various types of greenhouses exist, but they all feature areas covered with transparent materials that allow sunlight to enter while retaining heat. The most common materials used in modern greenhouses for walls and roofs are rigid plastic made of polycarbonate, plastic film made of polyethylene, or glass panes.

The absence of a greenhouse severely hampers Stephanie’s ability to complete her final-year research project, “Effects of Calcium-Based Soil Amendments on Tomato Varieties,” which began in August 2024.

Her study requires a controlled environment to germinate tomato seeds in seed trays and monitor their growth. Obtaining seed trays is manageable but preserving them is difficult, as Nnamdi Azikiwe University has neither a greenhouse nor a screenhouse. Ms Michael must manually move her trays outdoors twice daily for sunlight, a labour-intensive process that disrupts her experiment.

“Even if I manage to grow the seeds on the tray, replanting is a huge challenge,” she told PREMIUM TIMES in April. “The soil here has nematodes, water access is limited, and the plants are dying off.” A functioning greenhouse would resolve these issues, providing regulated conditions for her research.

With only three months left to meet her project submission deadline, Ms Michael’s challenges highlight a broader issue: inadequate infrastructure stifling the efforts of young Nigerians eager to pursue innovative practices in agriculture.

The lack of greenhouses forces students to seek costly and unreliable alternatives.

Ms Michael told PREMIUM TIMES that her uncle had promised to help her by building a screenhouse, but he later changed the plan. Instead, he offered to build it on his own farm, which is far from the university.

A screenhouse uses mesh walls and sometimes a roof, allowing natural airflow while protecting plants from pests and larger animals. While greenhouse and screenhouse may differ in mechanism, the results are the same.

This new arrangement would make it hard for Ms Michael to reach the screenhouse regularly and carry out her research properly. She would need to spend at least N3,000 every day for four months on transportation, and the farm does not have enough water or proper security, making it an unsafe and costly option.

**The only source of water at the Unizik Faculty of Agriculture.**

“The school environment is secure, but the farm isn’t,” she noted. “I’d need to buy water daily, and the plants require constant attention, exposing me to security risks.”

The financial burden of alternatives is daunting. Ms Michael thought about building a temporary screenhouse made of bamboo, but the cost of N350,000 is twice what she pays for school each year and far beyond what she can afford.

Despite her determination to stick with her research topic, she is contemplating changing the tomato seed variety, a decision that adds to her expenses. Her passion for agriculture, undermined by these resource constraints, reflects a systemic problem faced by many students, particularly during their mandatory one-year Industrial Training (IT), where access to functional facilities is critical for practical skill development.

Limited facilities across Institutions

PREMIUM TIMES’ found that the issue extends beyond Nnamdi Azikiwe University. At Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), Joy Ogbole, a final year Agric Extension student, noted that they had a greenhouse that is only partially functional.

“Greenhouses usually have irrigation systems to channel water through pipes, but ours isn’t well-equipped,” she said. Students must fetch water in buckets, and the facility cannot accommodate all learners, leaving some outside during practical sessions.

This lack of capacity and functionality adds stress and limits hands-on learning. Ms Ogbole’s experience during her IT at Golden Fingers and Ranches Farm in Zuba, where she used a fully functional greenhouse, was transformative.

There, she explained how she met students from institutions like the University of Ilorin and Ahmadu Bello University, both of which have operational greenhouses for teaching.

“Not having a functional greenhouse is a setback,” Ms Ogbole lamented, worrying about graduating without the skills that employers demand.

Ms Ogbole’s journey into agriculture began with reluctance. Admitted to study Agric Extension, she had little passion for the course until the period she spent on industrial training at Songhai Farms in Imo State exposed her to greenhouse vegetable cultivation.

“I was surprised farming could be fun,” she recalled. Returning to her university’s inadequate facilities, however, was disheartening.

“Gen Zs don’t like stress,” she said, highlighting the frustration of adapting to an environment that lacks the tools to support her newfound enthusiasm.

She added that the absence of functional greenhouses not only hinders academic progress but also risks producing “half-baked” graduates ill-prepared for agricultural careers.

Limited Scope of Teaching

The former Head of the Crop Science Department at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Okorie Ndukwe, explained that without a greenhouse, lecturers are limited in what they can demonstrate. The lack of greenhouses has a ripple effect on teaching

“When students see evidence that something works, it inspires learning,” he said in April. He believes greenhouses could also drive community development by showcasing practical agricultural solutions.

He added that it’s not just about the students; even the lecturers cannot compete with their counterparts globally when they need greenhouses to conduct experiments for their research work.

“If we can get a screenhouse, we will be glad,” the don, now dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the university, said.

The Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the university, Uko Ibeabuchi, noted that the faculty has repeatedly sought funding from the university and private donors for a greenhouse, to no avail.

“Not having a greenhouse impacts our accreditation,” he said, referencing the National Universities Commission (NUC) requirement for such facilities in crop science programmes.

Donald Iheaturu, another lecturer at the faculty, added that greenhouses are integral to the newly adopted Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), underscoring their necessity for compliance and quality education.

Mr Iheaturu highlighted that the cost of constructing a standard greenhouse is more than N20 million. He noted that there is a standard greenhouse at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) where it is used for research.

“One standard greenhouse I know is in IITA, that’s because of the research, and they also have power to keep the environment controlled,” he said.

Strides So far

While some Nigerian institutions are making progress in agricultural education, the overall progress is inconsistent.

In February 2025, Kaduna State University received a grant to construct two greenhouses, and Obafemi Awolowo University partnered with the West Africa Hub to establish innovation hubs, including greenhouses, aimed at engaging youth in agriculture. Similarly, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture has utilised greenhouses for crop production.

However, not all institutions are effectively leveraging these facilities.

**Greenhouse at Anambra State Polythecnic**

For instance, Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, has a functioning greenhouse, but it is not utilised by students. Instead, the First Lady of Anambra State, Nonye Soludo, repurposed the facility for her “Healthy Living” project. While this initiative may have positive impacts, it deviates from the greenhouse’s original purpose as a student learning facility.

The farm manager at the Anambra Polytechnic, Udoka Aruonu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the greenhouse was previously used for preparing nurseries. He noted a lack of student engagement, stating, “There is a course in Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) that requires students to visit the greenhouse for one semester, but they rarely go there.”

He attributed this to students’ limited interest and highlighted operational challenges, saying, “The facility lacks water and adequate manpower. We need more workers to maintain it.” Despite these issues, Mr Aruonu observed that when students see water dripping in the greenhouse, “they get excited, as some have never seen crops grown this way, which sparks their interest in studying agriculture.”

The exact number of tertiary institutions with greenhouses remains unclear, as neither the National Universities Commission (NUC) nor the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) responded to PREMIUM TIMES’ request seeking details of the data. The systemic failure to provide greenhouses and screenhouses, mandatory for accrediting agricultural science faculties, discourages aspiring agriculturists and undermines Nigeria’s potential to harness youth interest in agriculture.

In response to the letter sent to the NUC, Folorunsho Ariyo, an official of the commission, said the NUC does not have the details.

Students like Ms Michael and Ms Ogbole, who are eager to contribute to food security and innovation, are hindered by outdated facilities. The challenges have forced Ms Michael to abandon her project topic and choose a new one that does not require a greenhouse, while Ms Ogbole recently finished her final examination at the university. Their experiences highlight a broader need for investment in agricultural education infrastructure to empower the next generation of Nigerian farmers.

Potentials of Greenhouse farming

Oluwatosin Aretola, head agronomist at Tolashol Ventures Limited, says greenhouse farming is transforming food production and education within Nigerian university communities. According to Mr Aretola, greenhouses ensure the year-round availability of fresh produce, helping universities overcome seasonal farming limitations.

“This consistent supply of fruits and vegetables improves nutrition for students and staff,” he explained.

By cultivating food within campus grounds, institutions can also reduce their dependence on external supply chains, shielding themselves from price fluctuations, transport disruptions, and insecurity. On a national scale, he emphasised that greenhouse farming holds the potential to address Nigeria’s food deficits, particularly for vegetables like tomatoes and bell peppers.

“Greenhouses can produce yields up to 30 times higher than open-field farms and allow production throughout the year,” he said.

READ ALSO: Mechanised Agriculture: Jigawa targets 10 tons per hectare yield

David Obiakor, chief technology officer at Agrokulture Consults (AKC), explained that greenhouse systems offer enhanced control over planting and harvest schedules, better protection against pests and diseases, and higher returns on investment compared to traditional open-field farming.

He noted that if more institutions adopt greenhouse practices, they will create employment opportunities for technicians, farm managers, and skilled workers involved in constructing and operating these facilities. This, he said, could help tackle youth unemployment while equipping students with practical skills that complement their academic learning.

Mr Obiakor emphasised that greenhouse farming can also improve food security by enabling universities to produce enough fresh food to feed their communities, reducing pressure on external markets and potentially lowering food prices. He highlighted success stories such as soilless farms in Abeokuta, where greenhouse operations have provided sustainable incomes for years. To scale up these benefits, Mr Obiakor urged the government to designate protected agricultural zones and invest in policies that support greenhouse adoption.

“If universities commit to this model, greenhouse farming can drive sustainable employment, strengthen local food systems, and boost the economy without disrupting academic performance,” he said.

This reporting was completed with the support of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development

Agriculture

Ekiti, Bayero universities lead in submissions as Nigeria begins digitisation of students’ dissertations

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2025

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Over 12,000 Nigerian graduates have successfully uploaded their final year research projects to the Nigerian government’s recently established National Education Repository and Databank (NERD), a month after the portal went live on 14 October.

According to a PREMIUM TIMES review of the portal on Wednesday, the Ekiti State University (EKSU) leads with 980 project submissions, comprising 974 undergraduate and six postgraduate entries.

It is followed by Bayero University, Kano (BUK), with 643 undergraduate entries and zero postgraduate entries, as well as the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) with 568 undergraduate entries.

Other institutions at the top of the uploads list are: Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, (563); Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State (512); Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State (498); Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna (481); Bamidele Olumilua University of Edu. Science and Tech. Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State (469); University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State (406) and University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State (321).

The portal showed that 243 of 879 enrolled institutions are active on the portal.

A review of project submissions revealed that 12,082 undergraduate and 169 postgraduate thesis and dissertations have been uploaded.

The entries, however, comprise only of individuals who graduated this year.

The NERD’s spokesperson, Haula Galadima, said one of the strategic objectives of the thesis digitisation, classification, and archiving scheme was to enhance the quality of the dissertations’ supervision without directly meddling in the process.

Ms Galadima stated that lecturers were likely to be more thorough with their supervisory work if they were aware that their names would accompany those works and would be available to or be seen by other researchers, captains of industry and entrepreneurs globally.

“NERD now has precision metrics to track earned allowances computation in any institution in Nigeria, and this will help the government to see the quantum of supervisory works being done by our lecturers outside their rigorous class teaching schedules, field, or laboratory work,” she said.

NERD Policy

The NERD policy went into effect on 6 October, according to an 8 August circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.

The policy is aimed at centralising the data of all certificates issued by Nigerian tertiary institutions for verification by issuing a unique national credential number (NCN) to each certificate. The NCN is to be issued to each certificate after submissions by the tertiary institutions.

READ ALSO: Ekiti 2026: PDP, SDP, ADC, others get governorship candidates

The policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in February, mandates all tertiary institutions to upload details of graduates. It also mandates the graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions to upload their research project to the NERD portal.

This upload is mandatory before graduates can register for the mandatory National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC). However, it has been temporarily waived for prospective NYSC members as it fell “within the transitional period and their mobilisation processes had started before the deadline (was) set”.

Agriculture

Gates Foundation announces new commitment for smallholder farmers on frontlines of extreme weather

Published

1 week ago

November 7, 2025

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Belém, Brazil (November 7, 2025) — The Gates Foundation today announced a new commitment to advancing climate adaptation, helping smallholder farmers build resilience to a warming world and protect hard-won gains against poverty.

Announced at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where leaders are emphasising locally driven adaptation, the four-year, $1.4 billion investment will expand access to innovations that help farmers across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia adapt to extreme weather. In these regions, where food security and livelihoods depend on agriculture, smallholder farmers and the communities they feed are among the most exposed to droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. Yet less than 1 per cent of global climate finance targets the growing threats to these vital food systems.

“Smallholder farmers are feeding their communities under the toughest conditions imaginable,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation. “We’re supporting their ingenuity with the tools and resources to help them thrive—because investing in their resilience is one of the smartest, most impactful things we can do for people and the planet.”

The commitment supports Bill Gates’ vision, outlined in his recent COP30 memo, of prioritising climate investments for maximum human impact and advances the foundation’s goal of lifting millions of people out of poverty by 2045.

Addressing a global funding gap

Farmers in low-income countries produce one-third of the world’s food but face mounting climate threats. Without greater adaptation investment, these shocks will continue to drive food insecurity and reverse hard-won gains against poverty.

World Bank research shows that targeted adaptation investments could boost GDP, particularly in small island and developing states, by up to 15 percentage points by 2050. The World Resources Institute estimates that every dollar invested in climate adaptation will yield more than $10 in social and economic benefits within a decade.

“Climate adaptation is not just a development issue—it’s an economic and moral imperative,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation. “This new commitment builds on our support for farmers in Africa and South Asia who are already innovating to withstand extreme weather. But they can’t do it alone—governments and the private sector must work together to prioritise adaptation alongside mitigation.”

Scaling farmer-led innovation

While climate shocks continue to intensify, the financing needed to help farmers adapt to them is not keeping up. According to the 2025 UN State of Food Security and Nutrition report, Africa was the only region where hunger and malnutrition increased this year. Without urgent adaptation, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that agricultural productivity in parts of Africa could drop by up to 20% by 2050.

The foundation’s new investment will scale farmer-led, evidence-backed innovations that strengthen rural livelihoods and food systems amid growing climate threats. It will expand technologies and approaches already showing results, including:

Digital advisory services: Mobile apps, SMS, and other platforms that deliver timely, tailored information to help farmers make informed planting decisions and manage risk, including support for the AIM for Scale initiative, which aims to reach 100 million farmers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America by 2030
Climate-resilient crops and livestock: Varieties that withstand drought, heat, and emerging pests while improving yields and nutrition
Soil health innovations: Approaches that restore degraded land, enhance productivity, and reduce emissions—supported by a $30 million partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation to advance soil science research

Partnerships driving global impact

The new commitment builds on partnerships that were expanded or launched through the foundation’s COP27 pledges and are already reaching millions of farmers. Examples include:

AIM for Scale: Launched in 2023, this global partnership delivered AI-powered SMS weather forecasts to nearly 40 million farmers across 13 Indian states during the 2025 monsoon season, helping protect millions of acres of crops.
TomorrowNow and KALRO: Together with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), TomorrowNow is providing hyper-local weather alerts to more than 5 million Kenyan farmers, improving yields and reducing crop losses, with expansion underway in Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia.

The Gates Foundation is working alongside local researchers, governments, and private sector partners to scale such efforts—strengthening rural economies and food systems for the long term.

READ ALSO: COP 30: Nigeria demands boost in global financing to restore, protect nature

Collaboration at COP30

This investment reflects a shared global commitment—led by African leaders and Brazil’s COP30 presidency—to put food, livelihoods, and health at the centre of resilience planning. Brazil’s own experience linking social programs with sustainable agricultural innovation shows how inclusive adaptation can drive equitable growth.

Together with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AGRA, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the United Arab Emirates, the foundation will co-host the Agricultural Innovation Showcase at COP30. Both a high-level event on November 10 and a physical exhibition, the showcase will highlight affordable, climate-smart solutions designed for and, in many cases, by farmers. More information is available here: https://www.embrapa.br/en/cop30/agrizone

Agriculture

Nigerian farmers seek govt’s intervention to curb post-harvest losses

Published

2 weeks ago

October 30, 2025

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Farmers in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti have identified a lack of storage facilities, poor road networks, unreliable power supply and security as challenges confronting farming activities and often leading to massive post-harvest losses.

The farmers, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), also noted that the high cost of farm inputs undermines farming activities and further reduces yields.

They observed that these challenges make it increasingly difficult for farmers to maintain their livelihoods.

The farmers appealed to the government for timely intervention in tackling these challenges, which, by extension, will boost high yield and curb post-harvest losses.

In Akure, the Ondo State capital, Abayomi Monilari, the president of the Ondo State Farmers Congress, lamented that insecurity and inadequate rainfall have contributed mainly to the low yield of farm produce.

Mr Monilari, who attributed the current fall in the price of food items to the harvesting period, frowned at the non-availability of storage facilities for farmers, urging the government to give directive on the usage of silo in the state.

“So, When supply is higher than demand, definitely the price of products will fall,” he said.

Mr Monilari appealed to the government at all levels to ensure the security of farmers, particularly in rural areas, and make their safety and the safety of their farmland a priority.

He called on the government to assist farmers with the needed support and facilities, particularly storage facilities to prevent post-harvest losses.

Also, Joshua Ayantayo, SIWES coordinator, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), said the drop in the price of some food items could not be attributed to government policy, rather, the period of harvesting of produce and lack of storage facilities for farmers.

Mr Ayantayo, while lamenting that farmers were making losses on their investments annually owing to poor storage facilities, begged the government to intervene in this regard.

“I do not see any significant policy that can affect price at the moment. A visit to the market and some farm areas will testify to this.

“The price of tomatoes, pepper, yam, among others are falling due to the harvesting season and inadequate storage facilities,” he stated.

Kole Akinmorin, a farmer in Okitipupa, told NAN that the harvest season had greatly impacted on the low prices of food in the market because more farmers were harvesting their crops.

“If this continues, I think the economy will be better for the citizens, especially the masses.

“We only need government intervention through finances, fertiliser and others for next year’s plantation to boom,” he said.

Funmilola Oke, a farmer in Ede town, Osun State, said the government must come down to the locals to understand their plights before taking any decision.

She said the current drop in food prices has not been felt by consumers due to some loopholes that needed to be tackled by the government.

“You may reduce the price of food and even put a price to them, but there’s need to bring down the cost of farm inputs and other basic things that impact on transportation.

“The reason some farmers are selling to wholesalers at the present price is because of transportation, and government must look at the bottom to top approach, not the top to bottom approach,” she said.

Similarly, Wale Adebayo, the convener of Good Governance for Nigeria Citizens, an Osogbo based Civil Society Organisation, said the security challenge confronting farmers on their farmland was also affecting the cost of agricultural produce.

Mr Adebayo, an agriculture expert, said many farmers have been chased from their farmland by bandits, making farming activities difficult for them and, in turn, affecting the cost of agricultural produce.

Wahaab Bello, the chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Osun, however, noted that the state government has been providing farmers with the needed support and facilities.

According to him, the government efforts have encouraged more people, especially youths, to engage in farming.

Mr Bello said the influx of people, especially youths, into farming leading to bountiful harvest was the reason food prices have equally reduced.

“A lot of youths are now into farming and joining the agricultural value chain because the government has provided land and farm settlements for farming, and tractors to ease operations,” he said.

He said farmers in the state are experiencing relative peace, as security has been put in place by the government to ensure that farmers and other businesses operate without hindrance and fear.

He appreciated the federal and state governments for providing farmers with fertiliser, chemicals, seedlings, and other farming implements, which he said were enhancing their operations.

Mr Bello, however, said many farmers are not able to store their farm produce, and have to sell it on time to avoid losses.

According to him, if farmers have access to funds or grants, they can procure storage facilities for their produce.

In Ekiti, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, disclosed that the government has set up storage facilities in different locations in the state.

He explained that the sole aim of the storage facilities was to prevent waste and buy farm produce from farmers during the harvest season, which would be released to the populace during food scarcity.

“Building the storage facilities is one of the government’s plans to avert food scarcity that was experienced in the state last year,” Mr Olatunbosun said.

READ ALSO: MACBAN urges Kebbi govt to arrest, prosecute killers of pastoralists

He also said the state government has approved N316.9 million for the construction of security posts in farm settlements as well as recruiting 500 Amotekun officers towards ensuring safety of farmers and farm produce.

In the same vein, the Ekiti Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, said the state government has launched agricultural development clusters to ensure food security.

Mr Boluwade said the goal was not only to tackle hunger, but to also create opportunities for youths in agriculture.

(NAN)