Senate Seeks China, India, EU Support: Nigeria’s Senate has stepped up efforts to reposition the country’s agricultural colleges and research institutions, opening talks with key international partners to drive reforms, technology transfer and fresh investment into the sector.
The move, led by the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, is aimed at strengthening agricultural education, boosting research capacity and improving productivity across the country.
Chairman of the committee, Sharafadeen Alli, disclosed the initiative in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, saying diplomatic missions from Malaysia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the European Union had already been engaged as part of the reform push.
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According to Alli, the National Assembly is seeking to tap into global expertise to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural institutions, improve research outcomes and create employment opportunities, particularly for young people and rural communities.
He said the engagements are part of preparations for the First National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Research Institutions, scheduled to hold from May 11 to 13 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“This visit is aimed at informing the governments of China, the European Union, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, and Malaysia about the committee’s planned activities and to solicit their support, collaboration, and partnership for the First National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Research Institutions,” Alli said.
He explained that the broader objective is to strengthen institutional frameworks, improve visibility for agricultural colleges and promote innovations capable of accelerating Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.
The senator said strategic alliances with leading agricultural nations would help Nigeria expand research collaboration, deepen mechanisation and adopt modern farming technologies that can improve food production and sustainability.
During a meeting with officials of the Malaysian High Commission, the committee highlighted Malaysia’s global strength in palm oil production, noting that Nigeria could benefit significantly from its expertise in agro-industrial development and value-chain optimisation.
The committee also praised the European Union’s existing interventions in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, particularly in oil palm research and institutional development, while calling for stronger collaboration in areas such as climate resilience, soil restoration and food security.
Discussions with China and Germany, according to Alli, focused on agricultural engineering, precision farming and research-driven innovation.
These areas, he said, are critical to improving productivity and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s food systems.
Recent diplomatic engagements have already signalled growing interest from international partners.
Earlier this week, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, met with Senator Alli and reaffirmed Beijing’s readiness to deepen cooperation in agricultural technology, food security and research partnerships with Nigeria.
The planned summit in Ibadan is expected to bring together lawmakers, research institutions, diplomats, development partners and industry stakeholders to discuss practical pathways for reform.
It is also expected to showcase innovations from agricultural colleges and research centres that could help address food shortages, climate-related farming challenges and rural unemployment.
For policymakers, the initiative reflects a broader recognition that agricultural education and research must play a central role in addressing hunger, strengthening food security and driving economic diversification.
With Nigeria continuing to face rising food prices and production challenges, the Senate’s latest push is likely to place agricultural institutions at the centre of national development discussions in the months ahead.
