Nigeria agricultural policy is focused on achieving sustainable green policy.

The President, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (retd.), stated this on Saturday in Umuahia at the 10th convocation of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

He noted that Nigeria universities of agriculture “must play their crucial specialized role in catalysing the development of the agriculture sector.

Represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, the President said, “We have challenges, of funding, no doubt, but our endowments are far greater than our constraints.

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“Government expects that universities of agriculture should bravely confront the heavy dependence of our nation on imported food and raw materials with the view to reducing it to the minimum at the shortest possible time.”

He noted that universities of agriculture were established with the strong conviction that they were cardinal tools for the rapid transformation of Nigeria agricultural sector, which he said “remains a major driver in industrial development, diversification from heavy dependence on non-renewable mineral oil, as well as achieving self-sufficiency in food production for local consumption”.

 He said he expected “universities of agriculture, rapid development of the knowledge and skills to increase local production of food and raw materials” adding that his government was making efforts to put in place, policies and programmes to strengthen agencies and parastatals to provide an enabling environment for increased productivity.