By Doris Esa
Abuja, June 25, 2024 (NAN) Stakeholders in agribusiness have called for the empowerment of smallholders farmers in Nigeria in order to ensure food and nutrition security as well as economic growth.
The stakeholders made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the Global Commodity Conference (GCC) tagged “Sustainable Food Security and Agric Business Expo 2024.”
Speaking at the event, Dr Emeka Offor, a former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), said it was imperative to strengthen and empower smallholders farmers in the country.
Offor revealed that smallholder farmers accounted for most of the food production in the country.
“About 80 percent of the agricultural produce in the country comes from the smallholder farmers.
“We need the small holder farmers; so, let us empower them in the rural areas, so that they can grow.’’
He said that the smallholder farmers lacked access to technology and market among others.
Offor urged individuals to invest in agriculture, saying that the issue of food security could not be left in the hands of Government alone.
He added that to ensure food security and reduce food inflation, Nigerians should begin backyard farming.
“We should start by becoming farmers; you can grow anything you want like vegetables, tomatoes and other crops by farming at the backyard of your house.
“We can’t leave the issue of food security to government alone,” Offor said.
Also, Mr Emmanuel Kwaya, Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), said raw material and innovation was an engine for food security.
Kwaya said that the concept of food security went beyond food alone, adding that raw materials were important to food security.
He said that the use of raw materials through innovation could transform agricultural practices such as agronomic practices (techniques used in the cultivation of crops) to improve food security.
Kwaya said that raw materials were important to sustainable food security and economic growth.
He further said that the council had contributed to agricultural research through improved high yields variety crops, to enhance food production.
Kwaya was represented by Dr Sab Ebiriekwe, Director Agriculture and Agro- Allied Raw Materials Department (RMRDC).
In a presentation, the Vice- Chancellor, Cosmopolitan University Abuja, Prof. Carl Adams, said there was need to embrace Smart Agriculture and smart farms to improve food security.
Smart farming is a practice in agriculture that involves the use of technology like drone and robotics to increase agricultural yields and enhance sustainable food production.
In a Goodwill message, Mr Gagare Nadumgu, Director 11, Department of Agribusiness, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the event was in tandem with the ministry’s efforts to enhance food security in the country.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Aisha Ahmed and Chijioke Okoronkwo
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