Bill for Federal College of Agriculture in Ebelle: Good Move, Wrong Priority?

 

The sponsorship of a bill by Marcus Onobun to establish a Federal College of Agriculture in Ebelle is a commendable move. Any effort aimed at bringing higher education closer to rural communities deserves recognition.

But the bigger question remains: Will creating another institution solve the real problem?

Nigeria does not lack colleges and faculties of agriculture. What the country truly lacks are students willing and motivated to study agriculture.


The Reality on Ground

Across federal and state universities, faculties of agriculture are consistently under-subscribed. Courses such as Agronomy, Animal Science, and Agricultural Economics often struggle to fill available slots each admission cycle.

Despite national conversations around food security, agribusiness, and economic diversification, agriculture remains one of the least preferred fields among many young Nigerians.

Building another college in Ebelle alone may not automatically change this trend.

Ebelle itself is a farming community. Yet many children of farmers still do not see agriculture as an attractive, modern, or financially rewarding career path. A new campus building without deeper reforms may simply become another underutilized institution.


What Would Actually Move the Needle?

1. Student Incentives

Scholarships, stipends, guaranteed internships, and startup grants for agriculture graduates would immediately increase interest. Students are more likely to pursue courses when they can clearly see economic opportunities after graduation.

2. Connect Education to Enterprise

Existing agricultural institutions should partner with agribusiness firms, cooperatives, and commercial farms. Students need exposure to mechanized farming, agritech, food processing, and agricultural entrepreneurship - not theory alone.

3. Change the Narrative

For years, agriculture has unfairly been viewed as a fallback option for students who could not secure admission into Medicine, Law, or Engineering.

That perception must change.

Career fairs, media visibility, and stories of successful agripreneurs can help reposition agriculture as a serious and profitable profession.

4. Support Farmers First

For communities like Ebelle, priorities should also include:

  • Extension services

  • Access to farm inputs

  • Better rural infrastructure

  • Market access for farmers

When farming becomes profitable for parents, they are more likely to encourage their children to study agriculture professionally.


The Role of Lawmakers

Hon. Onobun is right to focus attention on Ebelle and agricultural development. However, legislation tied to:

  • student incentives,

  • industry partnerships,

  • research commercialization, and

  • graduate enterprise support

would likely create more lasting impact than simply establishing another standalone institution.

The proposed bill could be strengthened by including:

  • an agriculture scholarship fund,

  • a graduate enterprise scheme,

  • internship guarantees, and

  • collaboration frameworks with existing colleges of agriculture.

That would help ensure the institution does not become another under-subscribed structure with limited impact.


CampusDialog View Point

Institutions alone do not create interest. Opportunities do.

If the real goal is to strengthen agricultural education in Ebelle and across Nigeria, the focus must begin with the student experience.

Make agriculture attractive.
Make it practical.
Make it profitable.

The colleges and buildings will naturally follow.


For CampusDialog Readers

Do you think establishing more colleges of agriculture will solve the problem? Or should Nigeria focus more on incentives, funding, and industry partnerships first?

Drop your thoughts below.



Ambrose Odiase, FIPMA, MANUPA, MAUA (UK)
Founding Editor/Publisher, CampusDialog

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