The Agricultural Engineer: His Training for Agricultural Transformation in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper is an appraisal of Agricultural Engineering education in the quest for manpower to drive the agricultural transformation agenda in Nigeria. It takes a critical look at Agricultural Engineering training especially in Nigerian Universities, focusing on curriculum changes, institutional capacity for manpower development and training, succession plan and post graduate training vis-à-vis modern trends around the world. Among twenty seven (27) institutions presently offering Agricultural Engineering in Nigeria, ten (10) were established after year 2000 and do not have post graduate training program. The survey show that 31.6, 28.7, 11.8 and 27.9% of the academic staff are in the area of farm power and machinery, crop processing and storage, farm structures and environment and soil and water conservation engineering, respectively. About 66% of academic staff members in Nigerian Universities are in the status of Senior Lecturers and above. Given Nigeria’s vast agricultural resources and as she continues to attract global attention in the African food crisis, this paper advocates the proper inclusion of Agricultural Engineers as key role players in all tiers of governance and levels of policy formulation to drive the agricultural transformation agenda.