The Federal Government has launched the ‘Grow What You Eat’ initiative to bring farming back into senior secondary schools across Nigeria.
The goal is to promote practical agricultural education and support food security, youth skills development, and self-reliance.
The programme was officially flagged off by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, at an event held in Government Girls Secondary School, Abuja.
The minister, who was represented by Kehinde Osinaike, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department at the Ministry, said the programme would reconnect students with the land and change their view of farming.
“Let me begin by commending National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) for taking this bold step to align education with national priorities in food security, practical skills development and youth empowerment. I also commend the management and staff of Government Girls Secondary School, Abuja for hosting this important event,” she said.
She added that the programme goes beyond growing crops. “The ‘Grow what you eat’ initiative is not just about farming. It is about cultivating a mindset of self-reliance, innovation, and responsibility among our young people. It is about reconnecting our students to the land and showing them that agriculture is not a punishment but a pathway to prosperity,” she said.
The programme is being implemented by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC).
According to the Commission’s Executive Director, Dr. Iyela Ajayi, the pilot phase will cover 20 senior secondary schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Schools for the first phase were nominated by State Commissioners of Education.
Dr. Ajayi said the project is designed as more than a school farming initiative. “‘Grow what you eat’ is not just a school project; it is a national intervention. It is a vision of transforming school farms into hubs of agricultural learning, enterprise development and community service,” he said.
He explained that the project aims to build discipline, entrepreneurial thinking, and life skills by involving students in structured agricultural work.
“By engaging our students in structured agricultural activities, we aim to cultivate not just crops but also discipline, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and resilience,” he said.
He added that the pilot programme will serve as proof of concept for national expansion.
“Today’s event marks the beginning of a new era, where school farming is repositioned as a tool for experimental learning, economic empowerment and sustainable development. By integrating classroom knowledge with hands-on practice, we are not only preparing our students for examination but also for life,” Prof. Ahmad said.
The initiative aligns with national efforts to tackle food insecurity and youth unemployment by using agriculture as a tool for growth and empowerment.
Through this programme, the government hopes to inspire a new generation of students to see farming not as a last resort, but as a valuable career path and a way to support their communities.
