Speaker
Description
Sekwa, A. Y.
Kwara State College of Education Technical Lafiagi
suljurist@gmail.com
Track: Digital Pedagogy and Teaching Innovation
The emergence of Agriculture 4.0 has transformed agricultural practices through the adoption of digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), drones, and smart sensors for precision farming. Despite these advancements, agricultural teacher education in Nigerian Colleges of Education remains largely traditional, limiting graduates' preparedness for a technology-driven agricultural sector. This paper explores the integration of smart farming technologies into agricultural education curricula as a pathway to developing future-ready teachers and reducing the digital skills gap. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach involving a survey of agricultural education lecturers and NCE students from selected Colleges of Education in Nigeria, complemented by interviews with curriculum experts and ICT administrators. In addition, the current NCE Agricultural Education curriculum will be analysed to identify gaps in digital technology content. The study investigates the level of awareness and accessibility of smart farming technologies, the digital competencies of lecturers and students, and the institutional factors influencing curriculum integration. The findings are expected to provide evidence-based recommendations for embedding digital agricultural technologies into teacher education programmes. The paper argues that curriculum innovation, strengthened institutional support, and strategic partnerships are essential for preparing competent agricultural educators capable of equipping future farmers with the digital skills required for sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria and across Africa.