From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) has commenced the “Grow What You Eat ” initiative campaign in Abuja and other strategic locations across the geographical zones.
At the launch of the campaign at Government Girl’s Secondary School, Dutse, Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NSSEC, Dr. Iyela Ajayi stated that the campaign was designed to reintroduce school farming as a cornerstone of practical learning, food security, and youth empowerment.
He said: “We recognize that preparing our students for the challenges of the 21st century requires more than classroom theory. We must bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. This initiative is our bold step in that direction. “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.
“By engaging our students in structured agricultural activities, we aim to cultivate not just crops but also discipline, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and resilience. Our pilot phase targets 20 senior secondary schools across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. These schools, nominated by the Commissioners for Education from their respective states, will serve as a proof of concept for a national scale-up that we envision in the near future.
“To support this initiative, we have trained state desk officers through a strategy and implementation workshop, developed detailed implementation guidelines, provided modest seed grants for startup support, designed a monitoring framework to track and evaluate progress, initiated dialogues with relevant MDAs and technical partners.
“We specifically seek support from the Federal and State Ministries of Agriculture for technical inputs, seedlings, tools, and extension services; and partnerships with the private sector, agribusinesses, food companies, and input suppliers to support school farms through CSR initiatives and mentorship; collaboration with research institutes and universities to provide innovations and training to students and teachers.
“We also need assistance from donor agencies and international development partners to scale up implementation, especially in underserved regions; grants and sponsorship from philanthropic foundations and NGOs interested in youth empowerment, food security, and climate resilience; support from the media and communication stakeholders to raise awareness and share success stories; active involvement of parents, traditional rulers, and community leaders in protecting and promoting school farming activities in their localities.”
Head of Teacher Development and International Partnerships, NSSEC, Alhaji Mohammed Salihu, said that launch of the initiative was a testament to the collective commitment to strengthen senior secondary education by making it more responsive, Inclusive, and practically oriented.
“We are particularly excited because this initiative speaks directly to the intersection of learning skill-building and global best practices, all of which are central to our Commission’s mandate.
“The ‘Grow What You Eat” initiative is not just a programme, but a transformative strategy that will reconnect students with the land, instill a culture of productivity, and reinforce values of self-reliance, teamwork, and sustainability.
“It is also an innovative response to the realities facing our society, particularly in the areas of food security, youth unemployment, and environmental stewardship. While we are providing a little seed money to these initial schools to kickstart their efforts, the Commission has ambitious plans to scale up this vital program to all the senior secondary schools in Nigena through strategic collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
“One of the most exciting aspects of this initiative is that it is student-centered and community-driven. Students are not only the primary beneficiaries; they are the actors, the innovators, and the winners of the change we seek. We believe that when teachers are empowered and students are inspired, the outcomes will transcend classrooms and transform entire communities.”
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, who was represented by the Deputy Director of Vocational Education, Mr. Kehinde Osinaike commended NSSEC for taking the bold step to align education with national priorities in food security, practical skills development, and youth empowerment.
“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 was optimistic that the intervention will promote practical agricultural education through school farms; equip students with agribusiness and entrepreneurial skills; enhance food and nutrition security at the school and community levels; support national efforts to combat youth unemployment and revitalize agriculture.
“This 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 examinations, but also for life. I urge all participating schools, teachers, and state ministries of education to take full ownership of this initiative.
“Let us work together to ensure that our students grow food, skills, and hope. The farm is your classroom, and the seed is your lesson. What you plant today will feed your family, your community, and your future,” she said.
Principal of the school, Dr. Fatima Mohammed, appreciated NSSEC for considering the school for the pilot phase of the initiative, assuring that the school will maximise the seed fund to boost agriculture and promote the campaign.