The Federal Government has unveiled plans to mobilise more than 500,000 hectares of underutilised land in tertiary institutions across the country for commercial agriculture under its Renewed Hope Tertiary Agricultural and Entrepreneurship Programme.
The initiative will begin with 40 selected universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, with each institution eligible to access between N1 billion and N2 billion in financing through the Bank of Agriculture.
The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the programme is designed to expand agricultural production, create jobs and strengthen the financial sustainability of tertiary institutions.
Under the arrangement, participating institutions are expected to provide about 1,000 hectares of land each, depending on the viability of their proposals.
The Bank of Agriculture will provide the funding required to establish and operate the commercial farms, while each participating institution will also have access to 10 tractors at significantly reduced costs.
Other support under the programme includes improved seedlings, farm implements, irrigation equipment, water pumps, fertilisers and technical assistance.
To address challenges associated with marketing and post-harvest losses, the government plans to engage produce aggregators who will purchase harvested crops and help ensure reliable markets for farmers.
According to the statement, the initiative will also enable tertiary institutions to generate revenue from agricultural activities, reducing their dependence on government funding and supporting long-term financial sustainability.
The programme will provide opportunities for students, unemployed graduates, alumni, academic and non-academic staff, as well as members of host communities, to participate in farming and agro-allied businesses.
It is also expected to create practical learning opportunities for students and researchers, allowing them to apply their knowledge, develop agricultural skills and translate research findings into commercial production.
The government further disclosed that subsequent phases would expand beyond primary agricultural production to include processing and other agro-allied activities.
The expansion, it said, would strengthen agricultural value chains, create additional economic opportunities and ensure that more value is retained within the country.
