History of the College

The Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka Kaduna is one of the four colleges under the aegis of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN). It was established under Decree No. 5 of 1977, also covered by the National Science and Technology Act of 1980 which was later amended by Decree 46 of 1990.

The college was approved for establishment in 1976 by the Federal Government as a result of the recommendations received from the Food and Agriculture Organization/ Danish development agency (FAO/DANIDA). Forestry project identification mission of 1971. The mission identified the need to establish a training institution that will be a center where technology and research in mechanized operations that were going on in the arid zone of the country could be utilized and taught. The establishment of the college was incorporated into the 3rd and 4th National Development Plans (NDP) of 1975-1980 and 1981-1985, respectively, (NDP 1975-1980) Vol.11 pp123-124 and 4th NDP pp 660-667).

The college started at Savannah Forestry Research Station as Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) project KIR/75/054 with Mr. E.N.G Cooling, FAO expert as project manager while attached to a Nigerian, Engr. I.O Nweze(FRIN Staff) was a Project Co-manager.

Engr, I.O Nweze became the head of the school in 1980. An office accommodation was secured at No. 10 Jabi Road, Malali Government Reservation Area (GRA) Kaduna as the Project’s Operational and administrative base in 1981.

The college finally moved to its present site in September 1983. The college is strategically located within Afaka Forest Reserve of Kaduna State (Km.17 Kaduna Lagos Road) on two thousand, seven hundred (2700) hectares of land donated by the Kaduna State Government in 1977. Twenty-seven (27) hectares of this land was set aside for physical infrastructural development while the remaining two thousand six hundred and sixty-three (2663) hectares were demarcated as college teaching and experimental farm, Agro-Forestry Farm and Plantation plot.

The college opened its door to the first set of students in 1983. Prior to this period, the college was at its physical infrastructural development stage of which FAO experts, the Nigerian government, FRIN Governing board, FRIN management and Project co-manager played significant roles.

In 1986, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) on behalf of the federal government and in collaboration with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) established a mechanized Trial Afforestation Station Project (TAP) within the college premises. Though the project ended in 1991, it adds more impetus to the college.

Objectives of the College/ Entreprenuership Centre

  1. The provision of trained manpower in engineering applied science, technology and commerce at all professional grades.
  2. The provision of technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural industrial, commercial and economic development.
  3. The provision of qualified and well-equipped personnel to apply scientific knowledge to the improvement and solution of environmental problems for us and the convenience of man.
  4. The introduction of professional studies in engineering and other technologies.
  5. The provision of training to impact the necessary skills leading to the production of craftsmen, technicians, technologies, engineers and other skilled personnel who will be enterprising and self-employed.
  6. To enable men and women to have an intellectual understanding of increasing complexity of the world around them.