Beyond colonial paradigms: academic staff perceptions on transforming agricultural education curriculum to secure food systems and mitigate criminality in Nigeria

Introduction The education curriculum in any milieu is dynamic and a continuous, evolving process. However, the influence of Western philosophy on educational curricula raises concerns about the harmful impact of crime and food insecurity on Nigeria's food sustainability. Methods A cross-sectional research method was adopted to investigate participants’ perceptions of the potential of a decolonised curriculum to contribute to food security and crime reduction. A survey was administered to 105 Nigerian university agricultural academic staff via Google Forms to conveniently maximise participant accessibility. Quantitative data were analysed using percentages, mean scores, and an ordinal logistic regression model, while general strain, material deprivation, and educational inequality theories underpinned the study's findings. Results and discussion Findings indicate the faculty’s perception of adopting an African-driven, epistemology-based educational curriculum as a means of curbing crime and reducing food insecurity. It thus proposed incorporating local pedagogies into the teaching curriculum to help mitigate feelings of structural marginalisation. The study advocates a holistic, faculty-led approach to mitigating crime and food insecurity in Nigeria, emphasising an ongoing process of reflection, adaptation, and stakeholder collaboration to decolonise the agricultural education curriculum and foster a sustainable food system.