The Senate on Thursday passed for third reading a bill seeking the establishment of a Federal College of Agriculture in Shani, Borno State.
The passage followed the adoption of a recommendation in the report presented during plenary by its Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions.
According to the sponsor of the bill, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), the college is meant to promote agricultural knowledge and development in the host community and across Nigeria. He explained that the institution will teach people how to improve agricultural productivity and adopt better farming techniques.
“One of the fundamental challenges facing agriculture in Nigeria is our continued reliance on crude farming methods. We have not made sufficient progress in improving productivity and making farming easier through modern technology,” he said.
Ndume added that the college, when finally established, would help facilitate improved farming techniques, technology, knowledge and crop varieties among farmers.
“For those who may not know Shani, it is a local government area in Borno South. It is known for agriculture, particularly the cultivation of rice, tomatoes and onions, and shares boundaries with Adamawa and Bauchi states, which are also agricultural zones,” he said.
Expressing delight at the achievement, the lawmaker said: “I am excited about this achievement. I consider it one of my lifetime achievements in the National Assembly, especially as we approach the end of our legislative session.”
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, commended the committee for a job well done and the sponsor of the bill for what he described as a development-driven initiative that would bring about agricultural development in Nigeria.
In line with parliamentary procedure, the bill will now be forwarded to the House of Representatives for concurrence before transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
