This is a three-year special programme supported by the Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education(SAFE), Japan, with emphasis on enhancing the capacity of Extension Agents with H.N.D. qualifications. It is different from the faculty B.Agriculture degree which has a five-year duration for candidates.

The main objectives of the programme are to:

• Train mid-career extension and rural development professionals in specialized technical areas along the entire agricultural value chain;
• Improve the effectiveness of grassroots extension and community development programmes in Nigeria; and
• Upgrade the academic and professional qualifications of extension and community development professionals by equipping them with up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge applicable in the field.