Brief history of the Division
The Division of Agricultural Colleges, as an integral part of Agricultural Complex in Ahmadu Bello University, is to train middle-level manpower in various fields of agriculture. The Division was created by Statute 16 of the Ahmadu Bello University Law. It is an autonomous body within the Agricultural complex of the University which includes the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH), Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) and the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI). Created in 1971, the Division of Agricultural Colleges initially had four Agricultural Colleges situated at Zaria, Kaduna, Kabba and Bakura. Presently, only the first three Colleges are existing under the Division after the handover of the Bakura College of Agriculture to the then Sokoto State Government in 1994.Bakura College of Agriculture is now located in Zamfara State.
Prof. Bashir A. Babaji
Director DAC 2024 - date
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PROFESSIONAL TEACHER
The history of the Colleges that make up the Division of Agricultural Colleges of Ahmadu Bello University dates back to 1921 when the northern Nigerian Government started a farm training centre at Maigana, at the outskirt of Zaria, in the then Zaria Province. The waxing popularity of agriculture at that early period led to the desire to modernize traditional practices, through the incorporation of new generated researched technologies in training and to introduce the concepts of commercial agriculture. That paved the way for the Centre to be transferred from Maigana to the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Samaru in 1928.
The Farm Training Centre started formal training in 1931 and had its first graduates in 1932 designated as Agricultural Assistants (AA). Students were drawn from within the Northern Province and sponsored by their various Native Authorities. The day-to-day running of the Centre and subsequent improvements of its infrastructures and staffing were totally the responsibility of the Northern Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This Centre later metamorphosed into the present day Samaru School of Agriculture, which later became the present Samaru College of Agriculture.
PHYLOSOPY
- To develop quality assurance mechanism of our academic programmes
- To rehabilitate, upgrade and expand learning and research facilities in the Division
- To digitize the Division's libraries, computerize and create databases for all the units in the Division
- To upgrade staff and students health and welfare facilities
- To reform staff development and strengthen capacity building
- Collaboration with similar Institutions and industries globally
- To establish and maintain entrepreneurial skills acquisition centres as well as develop frame work for market oriented research
- To establish public relation unit for advocacy, enlightenment and community services
- To strengthen the security systems in the Division