Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension

The Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, formerly known as the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, is one of the founding departments that were established at the onset of the University on March 10, 2011. Professors A. M. Kundiri, A. U. Kibon, A. U. Izge, and Drs. M. S. Isyaku, H. Yakubu, and O. G. Bello were among the pioneer academic staff members of the Faculty of Agriculture who jointly served the department along with the departments of Animal Science, Crop Science, and Soil Science, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Forestry and Wildlife Management department.

The Department’s mission is to produce graduates with knowledge and skills necessary in solving societal problems, promoting sound policies, formulation of plans, projects and management in the field of agricultural economics, extension and rural development. To achieve this mandate, the departmental objectives are to; produce the top-level managers required to promote sound agribusinesses in all aspects of agriculture since that has been recognized as the drawback to its modernization; provide opportunities for students to be trained theoretically and practically as farm managers, extensionists and professionals so that they can establish agribusinesses, extend agro-technologies to farmers, be problem solvers and job creators rather than job seekers; and institute extension outreach and agribusiness initiative to enhance livelihoods in rural and urban centers of the north-west geo-political zone in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

At the commencement of the 2011/2012 academic session, 22 students out of the 209 admitted in the university were in faculty and the number kept increasing with subsequent admissions since then. Customary to the ethics of B. Agriculture programmes, the students were placed in various options and five of the pioneer students were in the Department and the Department graduated her first candidate in 2015/2016 academic session. At the moment, the department has 60 and 310 (former agricultural economics and extension) students at undergraduate and 59 at postgraduate level.

The department at inception was overseen by Prof. A. M. Kundiri between the years 2011 to 2013. The Department was in later years headed by the following staff over time:

In 2022/2023 academic session, the former Department (Agricultural Economics and Extension) was bifurcated into the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, and Agricultural Extension and Rural Development. The Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness has 19 academic staff and 5 non-teaching staff members.The department runs both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes; B. Agric (Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness), PDG, M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, respectively.

A.  Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness

I. Ordinary level requirements

The candidates for admission in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness must be at least 16 years year old at the time of entry. Candidates seeking admission into 100 level B. Agricultural Economics five-year programmes should possess a minimum of five credit passes at the GCE/SSCE of WAEC/NECO/NABTEB which must include English language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology or Agricultural sciences and either Physics/Economics/Geography.

II. UTME combination

In addition to these requirements, the university requires that students make an acceptable pass in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in the following subject combinations; English, Chemistry, Biology/Agricultural science and Physics/Mathematics. However, the university reserves the right to further screen students in addition to other requirements.

III. Advanced level requirements

Candidates seeking direct entry admissions into 200 level B. Agricultural Economics four-year programme should possess at least two relevant subjects (Biology, Chemistry) at the advanced level GCE/IJMB. Students with two relevant subjects at the NCE (Agriculture double major) at merit level, or ND/HND (AgriculturalTechnology, Farm Management) with a minimum of lower credit from recognized institutions are accepted provided that they have satisfied all matriculation requirements.