Department Of Agricultural Engineering
Brief History
Agricultural Engineering Department started at the Ahmadu Bello University through the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR). The Institute started in 1922 as the headquarters of the Department of Agriculture of the then Northern Provinces of Nigeria. With the establishment of Ahmadu Bello University in 1962, the Institute was transferred to the new university and has since operated under its administrative umbrella even though it is funded separately by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources as distinct from Ahmadu Bello University funds which come from the Federal Ministry of Education channelled through the National University Commission (NUC).
The Department was initially a section in the Department of Agricultural Economics and later a section in the Department of Agronomy and finally it became a full fledged department in the 1974/75 session under the Faculty of Agriculture. Its initial affiliation to the Faculty of Agriculture was shifted to the Faculty of Engineering in 1976 to ensure greater interaction with other engineering disciplines and acceptability to the Council of Registered Engineers in Nigeria (COREN). The Department thus is one of the academic departments in IAR as well as in the Faculty of Engineering. The research activities of the department are conducted through the Agricultural Mechanization Programme and the Irrigation Research Programme of IAR depending upon the project.
Philosophy
Agriculture is the industry which has always supplied mankind with food, fibre for clothing, and shelter. It is recognized as a primary industry because agricultural products have a universal need. This primary industry has certain problems that require engineering solutions. Agricultural Engineering is that branch of Engineering that applies the principles of engineering to solve problems often encountered in agriculture.
With the high demand for more raw materials both for industry and human consumption, the demand for agricultural engineers increases.
The philosophy of the training programme in Agricultural Engineering is aimed at integrating teaching, research and extension in agriculture into a unified curriculum to solve real and practical problems of the environment it serves.
Thus, the department takes the advantage of its being a department in IAR which is heavily involved in research and extension. Students are thus given final year projects which are IAR funded projects for possible solutions before the B.Eng. (Agric.) degree is awarded.
The Agricultural Engineering curriculum emphasizes physical sciences, general engineering courses, mathematics, general agriculture and some aspects of humanities. A general degree is thought to be appropriate based on the current job situation. Students are often encouraged to take up final year projects in areas of their interest. This, it is hoped, may determine the area of specialization at higher degree level.
The objectives of the agricultural engineering programme are:
1. To produce competent professional in agricultural engineering,
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3. To work with other professionals to produce quality agricultural products for export and internal markets,
4. To improve the quality of agricultural products,
5. To produce agricultural products at low cost so that persons in the community can afford,
6. To produce tools and/or machineries that assist to reduce drudgery in production and also ensure that all those engaged in agriculture maintain a comparable standard of living as those in other vocations and industries.
Our graduates have found employment in agro-based industries, irrigation and drainage companies, equipment manufacturing, River Basin Development Authority, Food industries, governmental parastatals, research institutes, etc. Some of them with business drive, have often opted for sell-employment.