The Institute seeks more funding for the agricultural sector
An agricultural research institute, Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security, has called on the new administration to allocate 10% of the country's budget allocation to the agricultural sector to address the looming food insecurity in Nigeria .
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has projected that around 25.3 million people in Nigeria will face acute food insecurity during the lean season from June to August 2023.
However, speaking at a workshop in Abuja on Wednesday, the organization's communications officer/researcher, Dr Benjamin Oyelami, said the projected food insecurity in the country could be solved with more commitment from the federal government.
Oyelami also said that proper use of agricultural inputs as well as sustainable soil management could help the country overcome the situation.
He said, "It is true that the country is experiencing acute food insecurity and the situation is worsening day by day. One of the ways to address this is through the proper use of agricultural inputs. farmers need to be well educated on how to manage their soil sustainably, which will improve productivity.
“In addition to this, the new government should be committed to agriculture. The government should do more so that we can achieve the agreed regional allocation for agriculture. If 10% of our budget allocation is dedicated to agriculture, we will overcome food insecurity in the country. ”
The institute's co-lead researcher, Adegbenga Adekoya, said the country's fertilizer policy was highly appreciated. He said it had little to no effect on farmers locally.
He said: "We are here to initiate research. This is an African program to work on fertilizers and soil health. We are engaging stakeholders so that we can give our findings national appeal. Nigeria scored well with its fertilizer policy but we realized there was still need for some tweaking. What is missing is that the policy does not reach the farmers."
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An agricultural research institute, Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security, has called on the new administration to allocate 10% of the country's budget allocation to the agricultural sector to address the looming food insecurity in Nigeria .
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has projected that around 25.3 million people in Nigeria will face acute food insecurity during the lean season from June to August 2023.
However, speaking at a workshop in Abuja on Wednesday, the organization's communications officer/researcher, Dr Benjamin Oyelami, said the projected food insecurity in the country could be solved with more commitment from the federal government.
Oyelami also said that proper use of agricultural inputs as well as sustainable soil management could help the country overcome the situation.
He said, "It is true that the country is experiencing acute food insecurity and the situation is worsening day by day. One of the ways to address this is through the proper use of agricultural inputs. farmers need to be well educated on how to manage their soil sustainably, which will improve productivity.
“In addition to this, the new government should be committed to agriculture. The government should do more so that we can achieve the agreed regional allocation for agriculture. If 10% of our budget allocation is dedicated to agriculture, we will overcome food insecurity in the country. ”
The institute's co-lead researcher, Adegbenga Adekoya, said the country's fertilizer policy was highly appreciated. He said it had little to no effect on farmers locally.
He said: "We are here to initiate research. This is an African program to work on fertilizers and soil health. We are engaging stakeholders so that we can give our findings national appeal. Nigeria scored well with its fertilizer policy but we realized there was still need for some tweaking. What is missing is that the policy does not reach the farmers."
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