The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled a strategy to make use of vacant land within tertiary institutions for agricultural purposes as part of its efforts to increase food production across the country. This announcement was made by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, during the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Eastern Nigeria Union Conference Centenary Public Lecture and Food Summit held in Port Harcourt.
Senator Kyari, represented by Nuhu Kilishi, the Deputy Director of Nutrition and Food Safety in the ministry, revealed that letters had been sent to the institutions to request their consent for this initiative. Some tertiary institutions have already responded favorably to the proposal, and the move is expected to reinvigorate farming activities on these campuses.
The goal is to encourage farming within schools and institutions by utilizing unused hectares of land. This will help increase food availability and improve the nation’s food supply. Additionally, the government aims to reduce cultivation costs by providing farmers with solar-powered irrigation pumps, reducing their reliance on petrol-based pumps.
Senator Kyari emphasized the importance of value addition and processing of agricultural products to maximize profitability, suggesting that farmers should not stop at production but explore options for product processing.
The keynote speaker at the event, Professor Cyril Nwamguruka, a specialist in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Babcock University, identified selfishness as a major obstacle to food sufficiency in the country. He called on the government, particularly President Bola Tinubu, to appoint selfless and committed individuals to public offices. Professor Nwamguruka also stressed the need for investment in road construction and security to enhance food production and distribution across Nigeria, addressing the challenges of transporting goods from production centers to other areas and ensuring farmers’ safety.