From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) has proposed a comprehensive, evidence-based intervention to enhance agricultural practices and human capacity development in Zamfara State.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, presented the blueprint to His Excellency, Dr. Dauda Lawal, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, during a visit where the governor inaugurated an upgraded departmental library at the university’s Department of Political Science and International Studies.
Governor Lawal, an alumnus of the university who graduated from the Department of Political Science and International Studies in 1988, was responsible for refurbishing the library.
In his presentation to the governor, Prof. Ahmed explained that the blueprint was developed through collaboration among the university’s three leading agricultural research institutes: the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), and the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), as well as the Institute of Education and Institute of Administration.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that the proposal would incur no cost to the Zamfara State government. He described the harmonized framework outlined in the proposal, which integrates crop research, climate resilience, livestock innovation, last-mile extension delivery, and human capacity development into one cohesive agenda for the state.
These interventions are designed to operate as capacity-building initiatives through a “train-the-trainers” model, which will primarily be delivered via online platforms utilizing the facilities of the ABU Distance Learning Centre.
The main objectives are to restore crop and livestock productivity in Zamfara State and to enhance the resilience of households and communities against climate shocks and security challenges. The proposal also includes training for extension agents in modernized delivery systems. It aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of ministries, the Agricultural Development Program (ADP), cooperatives, civil service, teacher service, and local communities.
Additionally, Prof. Ahmed noted that the proposal aims to transformthe state civil service through comprehensive capacity-building programs tailored for senior, middle, and top-level directorate staff.
He commended Governor Dauda Lawal for his administration’s decision to appoint permanent secretaries through rigorous examination processes, rather than relying onpolitical favoritism. He also praised the governor for emphasizing capacity-building programs and conducting training sessions for procurement staff, audit officers, and administrative leaders.
In response, His Excellency, Dr. Dauda Lawal, expressed profound gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and the university management for their commitment to transforming the state. The governor, who acknowledged the impact that Ahmadu Bello University had on his life, promised to continue giving back to his alma mater.
