Brief History

Samaru College of Agriculture started in 1921, as an Agricultural Training Centre at Maigana, located 24 kilometers from Zaria along Zaria – Jos road. In that year, the British Cotton Growing association (BCGA) in collaboration with officials of “Agricultural Research Station”, now Institute for Agricultural Research (I.A.R.) Samaru, selected some farmers and started training them at the Centre for improved husbandry practices for cotton and groundnut crops which were the major exports and foreign exchange earnings for the country at that time. The Industrial Revolution in Europe coupled with the unprecedented high demands for these crops necessitated intensification of technical training for Field Overseers to assist the local farmers to adopt with the improved techniques of cotton and groundnut productions. However, lack of adequate facilities at Maigana caused the transfer of the Centre to Samaru in 1928, where it was located at the present “Soil Survey Section” of I.A.R. which had facilities and conditions more conducive for agricultural education and training.
The Centre formally became the Samaru College in 1932, with the enrolment of 17 candidates for the Agricultural Assistant course under Mr. H. Earnshaw, an Agricultural Officer popular referred as the “School Master” as the pioneer Principal of the College. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Accredited programmes in the College now are as follows:-
National Diploma (ND) Agricultural Technology
National Diploma (ND) Agricultural Engineering
National Diploma (ND) Home Economics
Higher National Diploma (HND) Farm Power and Machinery
Higher National Diploma (HND) Irrigation Agronomy (Soil and Water Engineering)
Higher National Diploma (HND) Pest Management Technology
Higher National Diploma (HND) Agricultural Extension and Management
PRE-ND Science.

Mission

Be one of the best institutions in agricultural middle level manpower training by providing improved knowledge and teaching skills to increase the capability of trainees for efficient know-how to cope with the rapidly changing technological advancement in Nigeria and Africa.

Philosophy

1. To establish and maintain academic programmes of specialization within the college to meet the agricultural needs of the country

2. To attract and retain increasing number of well qualified staff as a means of expanding enrolment and for offering specialized programmes within the college

3. To improve knowledge, teaching skills and overall effectiveness of teaching and supporting staff through variety of staff development programmes

4. To produce high caliber graduates with the capability for efficient knowledge to cope with the constantly changing and rapidly expanding and technologically advanced world

5. To continuously and systematically study to update the curricula of the various college programmes in order to improve and maintain the high standards of the college

6. To maintain academic standards as set out by the Federal Government Regulatory body in Technical Education

7. To offer appropriate consultancy and support services to persons, groups and institutions in agricultural development

8. To contribute to the development of agriculture in Nigeria specifically and Africa and the World in general.

Staff List