A Professor of Horticulture at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Isaac Ayelagbe, stated that the widespread hunger in Nigeria is a real and embarrassing situation, especially for a well-endowed nation unable to feed its growing population.
Ayelagbe attributed Nigeria’s food insufficiency to poor policies, a lack of political will, and oppressive agricultural practices still reliant on hoes and cutlasses, among other factors.
The university lecturer and scientist stated this while speaking during a youth-inclusive agricultural training organised by Horti Nigeria to celebrate this year’s International Youth Day, held on Saturday at FUNAAB, Abeokuta. The programme’s theme was “Youth, Digital Adoption and Innovation.”
Speaking with newsmen, Ayelagbe said, “It is a sorry and embarrassing situation that we cannot feed ourselves; however, it is not beyond redemption if we are ready to act with intention. Every reputable nation solves its food production challenges, and I believe that with strong political will, we can achieve success sooner than we imagine. Once we deploy the right resources, policies, and funding, and monitor them effectively, we will be on our way to achieving food security.
“The truth is that hunger is real and it is depressing because a hungry man is an angry man. But how much food sufficiency can we achieve with oppressive agricultural practices driven by hoes and cutlasses? The government must take the lead in mechanisation. They should help bring in simple machines and tractors that can be used to cultivate large hectares of land for farming purposes, and we will begin to see changes in our food production.”
The expert praised Horti Nigeria for collaborating with the university to empower youth and inspire them to become successful farmers who will use technology’s potential to drive the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the programme, Benedict Ukpukpen, Southwest Inclusive Entrepreneurial Assistant at the International Fertiliser Development Centre, Horti Nigeria Programme, said the aim of the gathering was to raise awareness and stimulate youth interest in agriculture.
Ukpukpen noted, “The truth is that young people make up the largest percentage of Africa’s population and are therefore a very strong and potent force for bringing about the change we so desperately need in food production and the value chain.
“With platforms like this and the support Horti Nigeria is providing for farmers in the country, we can further encourage young people to embrace agriculture. It is a viable career that can provide them with a good income. We want to show them that agriculture is not a dirty job and that there is a lot they can do within the agricultural value chain to help tackle hunger, unemployment, and poverty, especially with the adoption of modern technologies.”
Ukpukpen explained that Horti Nigeria is a Dutch-funded agricultural programme operating in four states, including Kano and Kaduna, where about 64,000 smallholder farmers have been supported. Additionally, over 2,000 entrepreneurial farmers in Oyo and Ogun states have also been assisted in increasing their yields in crops such as tomatoes, pepper, okra, sweetcorn, and cabbage, among others.
Chuba Ezeigwe, Communication Manager at Heifer International Nigeria, also urged the youth to leverage advancements in technology to transform agricultural practices in the country.
Ezeigwe stressed that young people must take the lead in developing tech-enabled solutions to revolutionise agricultural production and enhance the food value chain in Nigeria.
He said, “We have a project called AYUTECH, which stands for Agriculture, Youth, and Technology, where we provide financial incentives, mentorship guidance, and technical support to young people across Africa, including Nigeria. All they need is to have interesting and scalable agritech solutions. We will then support the development of these solutions into commercially viable products and ensure they begin to impact and benefit smallholder farmers.
“We have $40,000 available annually for agrictech startups led by young people in Nigeria, and on a continental level, there is about $1.5 million that can be accessed each year.”
