General News
Food Security; Agricultural scientists advocates sound policy formulation to tackle global challenges ***decry high poverty, hunger and climate change levels in Nigeria
By David Okpashi
Nigerian agricultural scientist at the weekend called on the federal government, to formulate sound policies that would drive food security, improvide on the nation’s economy through food production.
This was part of the issues at the four-day conference of Agricultural scientis in Nigeria held at the Federal University of Lafia in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital
Speaking during the event, president of Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN), Prof.
According to professor Mbanosor, the conference was organized to brainstorm and harvest ideas and transmit the needed ideas to policy makers to assist government make progress in food production and security.
The president said that the theme for this year’s conference which is Strengthening Agriculture for Food and Nutritional Security, Market Development and Export in a Climate Change Environment ‘ was more than apt in combating challenges posed by a weak economy, dwindling foreign exchange, climate change and inconsistent government’s policies on agriculture.
The university don who lamented the under utilization of the nation’s arable lands in the world, also expressed shock over discovery that research carried out by it’s members on farming activities were less than 10% applied saying 90 percent of the activities are being undertaken by subsistence farmers.
“If concrete policies were not applied by the federal government to drive production, security the nation’s revenue boost, realization of nutritional value and security may remain elusive except something drastic was done”, he declared.
While acknowledging with satisfaction with president Bola Ahmed Tinubu announcement that the federal government was declaring a state of emergency on food security, the president of the society said they body of the agricultural scientist was ready to collaborate with the government for the realization of that bold policy initiative.
“Most ,if not all of our members are employees of government, either as teachers or researchers. Over the years, we have worked very hard in policy formulation aimed at strengthening agriculture in Nigeria. But it is most unfortunate that some of us are really frustrated because of the lip service being paid to our works. I will not exactly say that the results of our research works are gathering dust in government’s offices, but I believe that if policy implementors hasten to apply our suggestions, solutions would be found to the lingering challenges before us in the Agricultural sector”
“Be that as it may, it is not yet late for the government to work closely with our members in the development of policy initiatives that would be productively applied for the overall acceleration of food security in Nigeria”
He appealed to the federal government to provide funding for researchers, lamenting that most times, due mainly to paucity of funds and bureaucratic bottlenecks, research grants are not readily made available to our members.
National President of NMGS, Prof.A.S Solatunji, represented by the General Manager, Nasarawa State Water Board, Ahmad Abubakar Kana, identified Agriculture and Extractive Sectors as fundamental baseline for the growth and development of the nation’s economy.
He there for called for synergy among the relevant government agencies and other related bodies in the Agricultural sector for the actualisation of food security in line with the federal government declaration of emergency in food security.
Issues bordering on food security and how to boost Nigeria’s quest for sustainable food security topped the agenda of the agricultural scientists anchored by the president of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria, Prof. Jude Mbanosor, during the conference held at the Federal university of Lafia.
