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Vision of ARCN

To reduce poverty and increase food security by contributing to the establishment of sustainable agricultural growth and development in Nigeria

Mission of ARCN

To achieve significant improvements in agricultural productivity, marketing and competitiveness by generating appropriate technologies and policy options, promoting innovation, establishing a knowledgeable Management capacity and strengthening the agricultural research system.

Mandate and Functions of ARCN.

Mandate of ARCN 

The mandate of ARCN is to coordinate, supervise and regulate agricultural research,training and extension in the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) and Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCAs).

Functions of ARCN

1. Advise the Federal Government on national policies and priorities in agricultural research, training and extension activities;
2. Prepare periodic master plans for at research , training and extension and advise the Federal Government on the financial requirements for the implementation of such plans;
3. Ensure the implementation of the approved master plans by the appropriate research institutes, universities and other bodies;
4. Supervise and coordinate the research, training and extension activities of research institutes established under section 14 of the ARCN decree;
5. Prepare annual budget for the agricultural research , training and extension programmed of the institute under it aegis and receive grants for allocation to the institutes for the implementation of the annual programmes and to universities and other bodies for special research or training projects;
6. Maintain an up-to-date record of all existing facilities for research, training and extension in the agricultural sciences in Nigeria and advise the Federal Government on their adequacy and efficient utilization;
7. Advise the Federal government on the Re-organization of existing institutes, including the creation of new ones , as are required to implement or further the efficiency of research , training and extension in the agricultural sciences;
8. Promote collaboration between scientists and engaged in research in the agricultural sciences in Nigeria and their counterparts in other countries or international bodies;
9. Establish and maintain a National Agricultural sciences library and documentation center and publish or sponsor the publication of the research results in the agricultural sciences;
10. Carry out such activities as may, in the opinion of the council, further the advancement of research, training and extension in the agricultural sciences.

FEDERAL COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE, DADINKOWA GOMBE STATE

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE: Federal College of Horticulture, Dadinkowa was approved and established with effect from 19^th April, 2002, by former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, and it’s the first of its kind in sub- Saharan Africa. The College is covered by Decree 35 of June, 1975 on the establishment of Agricultural Research Institutes and conduct of training, now by the ARCN act of 2021.

The choice of Dadinkowa in Gombe State was informed by a number of factors including the following;

1. Dadinkowa is located at Latitude: N 10°17’16.92852″ , Longitude: E 11°30’11.94516″,  643M above sea level and has annual temperature range of  24ᵒC – 48ᵒC with annual rainfall range of 960-1110 mm and relative humidity of about 38ᵒC – 50ᵒC, all year round. The combination of these climatic elements makes it conducive for horticultural farming to thrive.
2. The adjoining communities are predominantly horticultural farmers, with a vegetable processing company – VEGFRU (presently SAVANNAH Integrated Farms) sited nearby and also the proximity of the famous Kwadon Tomato market.
3. A Drip Irrigation Scheme with facilities worth billions of naira, established by the Federal Government. Also Gombe Sate Government has graciously donated about 124ha of land at the site of the irrigation facilities, 870ha Jangargari in Dadinkowa for setting up of research and demonstration farms and also 19ha for building of the permanent College Campus.

The pioneer Provost was Late Alh. Hassan Baba Kwadon, who served from inception of the College to December, 2009. He handed over to Dr. Abubakar Umar Gurama, as the substantive Provost from January 2009 to December, 2013. Mallam Salisusu Mairama Yusuf served as Acting Provost, from January to December, 2014. Professor Fatima B. J. Sawa served as Provost from January, 2015 to December, 2019. She eventually succeeded by Dr. Babawuro Mahmoud Ali, with effect from January 2020, on acting capacity and subsequently confirmed as substantive Provost in August 2020.

From inception to date, the College has expanded from having just a single Academic Department to seven Academic Departments offering more than twenty different accredited diploma programmes, all in consonance with its mandates. The College also conducts short term training in Agriculture and related fields.

MISSION AND VISION OF THE COLLEGE

The mission is to consolidate the Federal College of Horticulture as foremost institution anchored on globally relevant, quality academic learning with inbuilt appropriate entrepreneurial skills, result oriented research and community engagement so as to transform the College into a world class institution for the training and dissemination of horticultural knowledge and skills for employment generation and value addition using motivated/skilled manpower and appropriate technologies.

MANDATES

The Federal College of Horticulture Dadinkowa is mandated to conduct academic training for extension agents and technicians leading to the award of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Horticultural Technology and other related disciplines, to conduct training activities in vocational skills acquisition for farmers, processors and other agro allied groups, training of youths and vulnerable groups in horticultural enterprise, Imparting of appropriate technologies to farmers in various areas of need and to embark on seed and seedling multiplication for distribution to farmers.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE

Higher National Diploma (HND)

1. Horticultural Technology (Hort. Tech.)

2. Agricultural Extension and Management (AEM)

3. Animal Health Technology (AHT)

4. Animal Production Technology (APT)

5. Fisheries Technology (FIT)

6. Pest Management Technology (PMT)

7. Crop Production Technology (CPT)

8. Science Laboratory Technology (SLT)- Chemistry Option

9. Cooperative Economics & Management (CEM)

10. Agribusiness Management Technology (ABM)

National Diploma (ND)

11. Horticultural Technology (Hort Tech)

12. Agricultural Technology (AGT)

13. Animal Health & Production Technology (AH&PT)

14. Fisheries Technology

15. Science Laboratory Technology (SLT)

16. Cooperative Economics & Management (CEM)

17. Agricultural & Bio Environmental Engineering Technology (ABEET) OD

18. Computer Science (DCS)

19. Library & Information Science (DLIS)

20. Social Development (DSD)

CERTIFICATE

21. General Horticulture

22. Bee Keeping

23. Poultry & Production

24 Small Ruminants

25. Fisheries

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

The following are some of our achievements from 2020 to date;

• Training and Retraining of staff; All academic staff and some staff from the Bursary and works units have been sponsored to mandatory continuous professional development MCPD’s workshops and seminars in Nigeria, in 2020, 2021 and 2022. School/tuition fees for all academic staff and some non-academic staff, on study fellowship have been defrayed.
• Construction of the following structures is ongoing – New Admin Block, three complete academic complexes attached with service buildings (labs/workshops), new Clinic, 500 capacity Lecture Theatre, 500 bed new hostel, Africa Centre for Horticulture
• All solar powered buildings are being over hauled and upgraded with more efficient systems, also new buildings have been earmarked for the same project.
• Training of youths, women and vulnerable groups in horticultural enterprise, general agriculture and life skills have been expanded from about 300 persons per annum to 20,000 persons per annum.
• Imparting of appropriate technologies to farmers in various areas of need.
• New and improved technologies for seed and seedling multiplication are being developed.
• In 2022 the National Board for Technical Education NBTE has accredited a total number of 18 programmes for the College. The breakdown: 9 HND and 9 ND among them 7 are freshly mounted while 11 either had re accreditation or full accreditation.

Website link: https://fchdk.edu.ng/