The Senate on Wednesday passed the bill for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Funtua.
The bill, which scaled through second reading today, has brought the proposed institution close to gaining statutory status.
Debating the bill at the plenary on Wednesday, the sponsor of the bill, Senator Bello Mandiya (APC, Katsina South) said the university would be established to support and encourage the economic diversification in Nigeria.
He said, in the next 5 – 10 years, global population growth trends will be highly exponential and be a threat to humanity with a danger of food insecurity, saying “We must therefore act now, to avoid impending crisis”.
He said, if passed into law, the institution would provide and promote sound basic scientific training as a foundation for the development of agriculture and technology in the country.
Commenting on the bill, Senator Rochas Okorocha, said that education, especially in the area of agriculture and technology is the only way to go in Nigeria.
“We need modern technology in agriculture where a small portion of land can produce large quantity of agricultural produce. This can only be achieved if institutions like this are established,” he said.
Senator Ibikunle Amosun, (APC, Ogun Central), said the bill was apt because Nigeria now struggle to broaden agriculture from subsistence to commercial farming.
“Also, educated citizens can easily be govern and establishing institutions will create more jobs and diversify our economy,” he said.
Senator Kabir Barkiya, (APC, Katsina Central), said the Bill is very important considering the “Go back to farm policy of the nation”.
