History

In August 2001, the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved the request of Bayero University to establish a Faculty of Agriculture, with a rider that the Faculty was required to comply with the NUC’s Approved Minimum Academic Standards (AMAS). In May 2002, a pioneer set of one hundred and nine (109) students were admitted into 100 Level of the new Faculty of Agriculture for the standard five-year Bachelor of Agriculture degree programme specified in the AMAS. At take-off, the Faculty started with three departments as follows:

  1. Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension.
  2. Department of Agronomy.
  3. Department of Animal Science.

The Faculty has within a period of a decade (2001-2012) witnessed tremendous progress in terms of staffing, research, publications, promotions, conference/workshop attendance and collaborations with both local and international organizations. The number of departments rose from three (3) at establishment in 2001 to five (5) in 2009. These departments include: Agricultural Economics and Extension, Agronomy, Animal Science, Crop Protection and Soil Science. Both the number and quality of academic and technical staff have increased. There were many publications, both local and international by our staff as evidenced in Departmental reports.
In 2006/2007 academic session, postgraduate programmes (M. Sc. And Ph. D) were started in the departments of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Agronomy and Animal Science. In 2007/2008 session, a Bachelor Degree in Agricultural Extension funded by Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) was also introduced. The SAFE programme was introduced to cater for the capacity building of mid-career extension workers,

Orchards

Mango and citrus in the orchard

The Department of Agronomy manages three (3) orchards in the new campus. The main orchard is about 6 ha located along Watari River in the University Farm and is composed of several varieties of mango, citrus and guava. In this orchard, the Department has established a large plantation of Moringa ('Zogale') made up of more than 2,000 seedlings and its products are readily available to members of the University community and the environs. The second orchard which is 5 ha has citrus, mango, guava and other economic trees.It is located near the old Faculty building. The third orchard which is located near the main gate of the New Site has many indigenous plant species. Improved seedlings of various plant species are also produced and sold to members of the University community and the environs.

Academic Programmes

The Faculty has at present the undergraduate, Masters and Ph.D programmes in the following areas of specializations.

  1. Bachellor of Agriculture with options in Agronomy, Crop Protection, Soil Science, Animal Science and Agricultural Economics and Extension.
  2. B. Sc. Agricultural Extension.
  3. M.Sc and Ph.D programmes in Agronomy, Animal Science, Agricultural Economics and M. Sc. in Agricultural Extension.

Faculty Complex (Phase 1)

Agric extention studio

The New Faculty Complex Building Phase I was commissioned on March, 2nd 2009. The Complex is presently occupied by two (2) Departments (Animal Science and Agricultural Economics and Extension) as well as the Deanery. The Phase II of the Agricultural Complex which will house the four departments will be constructed with the Education Trust Fund (ETF) special intervention grant. An approval in principle has already been given by the ETF and has reached an advanced stage in 2012.

Publications

During the period under review, our staff published the results of their researches in both local and international journals. The details can be seen in departmental reports.
Conferences, Seminars and Workshops.The Faculty hosted the 46th Annual Conference of the Agriculture Society of Nigeria, which attached large number of audience and achieve huge success. The details can be seen in departmental reports.

Technology Village

The Faculty plans to establish a Technology Village as a component of the SAFE programme. The aim of the Village is bring together in one location some proven technologies for possible adoption by the farmers within the environment. The Village will also be a source of internally generated revenue for the sustenance of the SAFE programme.