Title: Repositioning Agricultural Education for Nigeria's Future of Work: Preparing Graduates for Emerging Opportunities in Agrifood Systems
Authors: Karinatei Napoleon , Patience Yemi OLISA
Volume: 10
Issue: 9
Pages: 88-97
Publication Date: 2026/09/28
Abstract:
Nigeria's rural economy is evolving, with agricultural activity growing beyond core production to encompass processing, marketing, logistics, agribusiness, digital services, and other areas of the agrifood chain. However, agricultural education in higher education has not entirely adapted to this transformation, with the curriculum continuing to emphasize conventional production-oriented knowledge and skills. This position paper argues that repositioning agricultural education is critical in preparing graduates for Nigeria's future workforce. In response to concerns about the preparedness of agricultural education graduates for changing labour-market demands and emerging opportunities in agrifood systems, this paper proposes a framework that connects curriculum reorientation, experiential learning, employability skills, and graduate employment outcomes. The framework aligns with Nigeria's National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy and explores new opportunities throughout the agrifood value chain. According to the report, addressing youth unemployment requires more than just producing more agricultural graduates. Agricultural education must actively equip students with practical, entrepreneurial, digital, technical, and transferable skills to meet changing labor market demands. Such repositioning may enhance graduate employability and increase agricultural education's role in Nigeria's growing agrifood industry.