To produce agricultural engineering graduates who would be capable of:

(i. Identifying problems and proffering engineering solution to such problems.

(ii.  Designing and supervising agricultural engineering projects.

(iii. Designing and fabricating components machines and systems applicable to Nigerian agricultural situations.

(iv. Importing, adapting, adopting and installing technology for optimal functioning towards national development.

(v. Installing and maintaining complex engineering systems that can perform optimally in Nigeria environment.

(vi. Exercising original though, good professional judgment and taking responsibility for the direction of important tasks.

(vii. Managing people, fund, materials and equipment.

(viii. Improving on indigenous technology to enhance local problems solving    capability.

The Department of Agricultural Engineering is one of the seven (7) departments in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology of the University. The Department envisioned Agriculture in Nigeria as devoid of drudgery and hence, committed to high-quality teachings and research into the engineering aspect of agriculture, ranging from land preparation to crop processing and storage. The Department focuses on producing graduates that will make the country industrially self-reliant while ensuring food security and fiber production for the industries.

The Department has close links with other departments, particularly engineering and agricultural sciences, in the university, governmental and private agricultural establishments, research institutions, industries, and other Universities (both within and outside the country). The students at the undergraduate level normally undergo a six (6)-month farm/industrial training which exposes them to real-life problems in farms/industries and how to proffer engineering solutions to such problems. Most of the time, they (the students) solve such problems through their final year independent projects supervised by experienced lecturers.

The Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) programme in Agricultural Engineering started in the 2003/2004 session as a unit under the Department of Mechanical Engineering with student intakes into both 100 and 200 levels.  However, the unit metamorphosed into a full-fledged department in the 2004/2005 academic session.

The Department started with 160 student population at both 100 and 200 levels from the PDS programme and transferred from other Departments within the University. The student population in the Department has now grown to about 318 in the current 2019/2020 academic session. The first set of students graduated during the 2006/2007 academic session.

At inception, the Department took off with three (3) Agricultural Engineering staff accommodated in shared offices with the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The department has improved remarkably both in its physical structures and staffing situation. The Department now has its own general office where administration of the Department is conducted. The general office houses the HOD’s office, Exam office, Data Management, and Administrative office.

In the area of staffing, the Department now has sixteen (16) members of full-time academic staff on the ground viz: four Professors, one Reader, seven Senior Lecturers, two Lecturer I, and two Assistant Lecturers. The Department also has eleven (11) members, full-time non-academic staff, on the ground viz two technologists, two Agricultural officers, one Assistant Technologist, two Technical Assistants, two Laboratory Attendants, and two Tractor Operators.

The Department has established her own laboratories in the area of Crop Processing and Storage, Soil and Water Conservation Engineering as well as Farm Power and Machinery/Hydraulic laboratories. The Department also has a Machinery Maintenance workshop bay equipped with machines for metal work, woodwork, fabrication and welding. The workshop is attached to an implement shed.    

In addition to the afore-listed facilities, the Department also shares the multipurpose central workshop with the Department of Mechanical Engineering.  The workshop which is equipped with machines for metalwork, woodwork, fabrications, welding etc is manned by competent COREN-registered Engineering Technologists. In addition, the Department shares the facilities in the Departments of Food Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering for Crop Processing and Storage, Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, and Farm Power and Machinery/Hydraulic Practical, respectively for other various practical needs of students.

Furthermore, the Department also has farmland allocated to it adjacent to the Faculty of Agricultural Science farmland. The farm land which is about 20 ha in the area is used for research and practical demonstration of farm machinery. The University has approved the construction of a New Agricultural Engineering Building Complex through Tetfund support. The proposed laboratory complex will house eight (8) laboratories, the Head of Department’s office, an Examination office, an administrative office, Five (5) professors, and fifteen (15) lecturers’ offices.