Department of Agricultural Technology

HISTORY OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

VISION STATEMENT

To lay a solid foundation for the take-off of agricultural resolution through the training of manpower in modern agricultural techniques.

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide world-class training in line with global best practices for the practice of agriculture as a business for national food security, income generation, gainful employment and industrial development.

INTRODUCTION

In recognition of the fact that Nigeria has huge agricultural potential and substantial natural resources that can make agriculture the bedrock of Nigeria's development in a substantial way, the department of Agricultural Technology was established to impart knowledge to students and equip them with skills in modern techniques of agricultural production. This is because agriculture has been recognized as the fundamental instrument for sustainable development and a means of rural transformation.

In acknowledgement of the fact that Agriculture has the potential to be the industrial and economic springboard from which Nigeria’s development can take off, the Academic Board of Federal Polytechnic Nekede approved the establishment of the Department of Agricultural Technology in the 2014/2015 academic session. Since most of the foundation staff of the Department were from Agricultural Engineering, Polytechnic Management decided to domicile the department in the School of Engineering Technology (SET) in the interim in view of the absence of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology in Federal Polytechnic Nekede. In the 2015/2016 academic session, the department was officially transferred to the School of Industrial and Applied Sciences (SIAS). The department runs programs leading to the award of a national diploma (ND) in Agricultural Technology.

BRIEF HISTORY

The National Diploma in Agricultural Technology was mounted in February of the 2014/2015 academic session. The Agricultural Technology program was formally called General Agriculture and is the umbrella program for all Agricultural disciplines. The initial resource accreditation visitation exercise for the program was held in October 2014 after which it was granted entry accreditation. The first set of students numbering about 37 was admitted in the 2014/2015 session. In 2017 Agricultural Technology Department got accredited to run HND programs in two departments of Agricultural Extension Management (AEM) and Crop Production Technology (CPT). In the 2017/ 2018 academic session, the two departments AEM and CPT admitted their first students into the HND programs. The department is currently headed by Mr Eze Emeka U.

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAMME

1. To produce agricultural technicians who are self-reliant, skilled and capable of adopting modern techniques in agricultural production
2. To equip students with basic skills that will enable them to contribute positively to solving the ever-complicated problem of food security
3. To foster creativity in understanding the social, economic and technical contents of general Agriculture as well as disseminate improved practices of new agricultural techniques to farmers.
4. To prepare students for the pursuit of various careers in agriculture and assumed positions of responsibility in public institutions and private organizations.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Admission into the ND programme is through the joint admission and matriculation board (JAMB) by the unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME). The candidate is required to undergo a screening, and aptitude test organized by the polytechnics.

The general entry requirements for the ND agricultural technology programme are:

1. Five credit level passes in WAEC or NECO and NABTEB in not more than two sittings. The subjects must include biology or agricultural science, chemistry and any three of the following: Geography, Mathematics, Economics, Technical drawing, Physics and English language. At least, a pass in English language and Mathematics is compulsory.
2. A candidate who has completed the board’s recognized Pre-National Diploma (Science Technology) course may be admitted into the programme. Such students must have passed Biology or Agricultural Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, English language and any one of the following subjects: Economics, Technical drawing, Physics and Geography at WAEC, SSSC, GCE O’Level or NECO and NABTEB before undertaking the course.

SCOPE/COURSES

Agriculture is broad and diverse. The programme covers an area which includes core agricultural courses, Engineering, Socio-Economic as well as other utilitarian courses. All these fall within the main area of study or instruction modules as follows:

1. General Studies
2. Animal Science
3. Crop Science
4. Agric Economics
5. Soil science
6. Agric Engineering
7. Forestry
8. Fisheries
9. Horticulture
10. Extension and rural sociology

AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY (NATIONAL DIPLOMA) CURRICULUM TABLE 

 FIRST SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION (ND1)

QUALIFICATIONS OBTAINABLE

National Diploma in Agricultural Technology

ARREARS OF SPECIALIZATION/ SPECIALTIES

Students who graduate from the ND Agricultural Technology programme can proceed to do the HND in the following areas.

1. Crop production
2. Soil science
3. Agric Economics and Extension
4. Animal production
5. Horticulture and Landscape Technology
6. Pest Management Technology
7. Forestry
8. Irrigation
9. Crop Production
10. Fisheries Technology

HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA PROGRAMME IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND MANAGEMENT

AIM

To produce technically competent agricultural manpower to carry out extension work among the rural populace and also carry out administration and financial management of the agricultural enterprise.

OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAMME

A product of HND in Agricultural Extension and Management should be able to;

1. Carry out extension work among the rural populace.
2. Organize agricultural cooperatives and exhibitions.
3. Carry out a financial survey and evaluation of a proposed or existing agricultural enterprise and make recommendations.
4. Provide administrative leadership in all sizes of agricultural enterprises.
5. Market farm products and farming tools and equipment.
6. Assist in agricultural management research.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants with all of the following qualifications may be considered for admission into the Higher National Diploma Programme by direct entry.

1. The minimum entry requirements for National Diploma in any agricultural programme
2. The National Diploma with a minimum of lower credit pass in any agricultural programme
3. A minimum of one-year post-National Diploma cognate work experience.

FIRST SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION HND1 AGRIC EXTENSION AND MANAGEMENT

FIRST SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION HND 11 AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND MANAGEMENT

SECOND SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION HND I AGRIC EXTENSION & MGT 

 SECOND SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION HND 11 AGRIC EXTENSION & MGT

CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY GENERAL INFORMATION

Higher National Diploma (HND) programme

The general entry requirements for the HND programme include;

1. All the requirements for admission into the ND programme in general Agriculture.
2. A minimum of lower credit pass (CGPA 2.50 and above) in the cognate ND EXAMINATION and (c) a minimum of one-year cognate experience
3. In exceptional cases, an ND diplomat with a pass (CGPA of 2.00- 2.49) in the ND examination that had two or more years of cognate experience in the specific field may be considered for admission into the HND programme.

FIRST SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION HND1 CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

FIRST SEMESTER COURSE ALLOCATION HND 11 CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

SECOND SEMESTER COURSES ALLOCATION HND1 CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY.

SECOND SEMESTER COURSES ALLOCATION HND11 CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY.

SKILLS ACQUIRED

Students who graduate from the programme are skilled to carry out the following functions:

1. Establish and manage Agricultural farm enterprises in crop, animal and fish production.
2. Employ modern techniques in the apiary, floriculture and micro-livestock (E.g. rabbit, cane rat and snailery), quails and pigeon production
3. Employ modern techniques in the production of animal feeds
4. Assist in processing, storage and marketing of agricultural produce.
5. Assist in pest and disease control.
6. Carry out Agricultural extension services.
7. Carry out field survey involving land measurement and field layout.

JOBS/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES/CAREER PROSPECTS

1. Private Professional practice in a wild range of agric enterprises.
2. Agricultural extension agent in Agricultural Development Projects (ADPS).
3. Assistant Agricultural superintendents in Ministries of Agriculture.
4. Farm supervisors on Commercial farms.
5. Research Technicians in research institutes and stations.
6. Inspectors/ quantity control officers in export processing zones.
7. Superintendents /Managers at Agro service centres (outlets for the sale of agro-inputs).
8. Agric Technicians in breweries farms.
9. Assistant technical officers in Agrochemical industries.
10. Technical Assistant in millennium development goal projects, food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR Agricultural Projects (IFAP), AND USAID etc.
11. Agric technicians/inspectors in banks.
12. Community Development technicians in oil companies (Shell Chevron, Agip, Mobil).
13. Development technicians and Agricultural and rural development-based NGOs such as Fadama 3, living Earth Nigeria etc.
14. Raw materials procurement officers/inspectors in agro-allied industries e.g., flour mills, oil mills, feed mills, confectionaries etc.
15. Quarantine assistant superintendents in the Federal Department of Agric (FDA).
16. Technicians in feed mills.
17. Technicians in Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of education, Mono-techniques and related institutions.

PROFESSIONAL BODIES REGISTRABLE

1. Agricultural Societies of Nigeria (ASN)
2. Farm Management Association of Nigeria (FAMAN)
3. Fisheries Association of Nigeria (FISON)
4. National Association of Agricultural Economists (NAAE)
5. Crop Science Society of Nigeria (CSSN)
6. Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN)
7. Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS)

KEY OFFICERS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Eze Emeka U: HOD Agricultural Technology Department (AGT)
2. Opara Virginia I: Secretary Agricultural Technology Department (AGT)
3. Njoku Gift: AGT Students adviser HND 11/IT REP
4. Amasiatu Oluchi: AGT Students adviser HND1
5. Anah Chiweizu: AGT Students adviser ND1 & Farm Manager

Okata Ugochukwu: AGT Students adviser ND11

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