The Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu (formerly School of Agriculture, Umudike) was originally established at Umudike. It was built by the Public Works Department, Eastern Region, with Colonial Development and Welfare Fund. The College was opened by the Hon. Minster for Agriculture, Eastern Nigeria, Hon. E. Emole on 29th October 1995. The College was established to meet the need to train Agricultural Extension agents to cope with the ever increasing need for extension agents to educate the famers and man the various government Agricultural Development Projects.
The College commenced with the training of Agricultural Assistants (AA’s) for duration of six months up to 1962. The students were trained at three locations Umudike, later the students went to Abak farm Centre and finally to Abakaliki Poultry Centre. From 1963, the duration of the course was extended to one year and only at the school of Agriculture Umudike. The Diploma Course to train Assistants Agricultural Superintendants (AAS) was also introduced.
In summary the College was running the following courses:-
a) 2 year Diploma (or Assistant Superintendent) course
b) 2 year Certificate (or Agricultural Assistant) course.
c) 3 and later 6 months Home Economic for serving female Agric Assistants to prepare them to work with rural women.
d) Short Course in Poultry, Piggery, Vegetable gardening, Rubber tapping and Processing, Farm Machine operations and Tractor driving.
After the Nigerian civil war, the nomenclature of the above courses changes to Ordinary Diploma (OD) and Higher Diploma (HD) courses respectively.
In 1989, after the successful accreditation of four programmes (Agric. Extension and Management, Crop Production, General Agriculture, and Pre – National Diploma Science and Technology programmes respectively), by National Board for Technical Education the names changed again to Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) respectively. The College has undergone several metamorphoses. In 1979, at the end of the war, East Central State Government took it over. On 1st April 1972, the Federal Government took over the college as part of the complex known as Federal Agricultural Research and Training Station (FARTS) Umudike. In 1976, it became the training wing of National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike. In 1993, Federal Government relocated the College to Ishiagu following the establishment of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike on its Campus.
The above history is traced for the students and the general public to know where we came from, where we are and what the trends are for the future. The College has maintained an enviable academic track record over the years and has been cult free and the students are well behaved. The good behavior prompted the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State Dr. Sam O. Egwu to donate a 30 – seater bus to the students in 2001.
I enjoin all students to closely study the rules and regulations. On behalf of Management and Staff of FCA Ishiagu, I welcome all students.
DR Paul .0. Ajah
Provost
October, 2009.
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