By Rotimi Famakin
Addressing the challenges of food security in Nigeria formed the focus of the 45th lecture of the University of.
Ibadan held in Ibadan, with the theme, “Decolonizing food security for enduring multi-sectoral pathways to poverty mitigation in Nigeria” .
The lecture was delivered by a Professor of Agricultural Communication in the Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Ibadan, Professor Kuta Yahaya.
Professor Kuta Yahaya took an overview of agricultural practices in Africa in relation to the advent of colonial masters.
He was of the opinion that the colonial masters harnessed the continent’s rich agricultural resources at the detriment of the region.
Professor Yahaya however noted that poverty in Africa especially in Nigeria was caused by lack of vision for liberation and transition to a broader modern agricultural practices.
In the first part of the lecture entitled: “colonization of food in Nigeria”, Professor Yahaya said food challenges in the region were compounded by armed conflict which negatively impacted the agricultural sector
He noted with concern that the situation was worsened by epileptic power supply which should have helped to transform agricultural sector to an industrial hub.
“Energy deficit also plague the continent with significant energy shortages in meeting industrialization and development. As a result, “Africa now consumes what it does not produce and produces what it does not consume”.
Professor Yahaya criticized past administrations’ failed agricultural policies, including Operation Feed the Nation, OFN, Green Revolution, and Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP.
He attributed their failure to frequent policy changes, which harmed small-scale farmers lacking access to finance and infrastructure.”
Professor Yahaya observed that farmers in Nigeria still lacked access to modern facilities despite the advancement in technology.
He maintained that failure to address armed conflict and implement agricultural policies would continue to inflict poverty and food shortage on Nigerians.
In a remark, the Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria FRCN, Dr Mohammed Bulama represented by the Zonal Director, FRCN, Ibadan, Mr Dominic Mokikan described the lecturer as an erudite scholar whose intellectual prowess was displayed in the well researched academic discourse.
“You cannot expect anything less than what you got. He is an erudite scholar. Professor Yahaya is a well made person and Nigeria is so blessed to have him”.
Dr Bulama said Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and University of Ibadan had long standing relations demonstrated in the dissemination of research findings to the public.
In a remark, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, emphasized the need for swift action from the Federal government in implementing Professor Yahaya’s well-researched solutions to unlock the agricultural sector’s potential.
“When people talk about livestock attention is focused on cattle and conflicts and others but there are alot more to potential in the livestock sector across the value chain that if carefully and appropriately handled could unlock tremendous wealth for our country both in terms of country’s vision for employment, business and also to add value to our Gross Domestic Product, GDP.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, said Professor Kuta Yahaya is a seasoned academician whose input was well felt in the academics within and outside University of Ibadan.
The lecture series continues with the second phase entitled: Decolonization of food security and champions holding on 13th of this month at the Trenchard hall, University of Ibadan.
Similarly, the third phase comes up on 20th of this month with focus on “multi-sectoral options in decolonization of food security in Nigeria”.
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Shehu Musa Daja says:
The lecture was researched, even though many other solutions were preferred in the past but still we are not distant from where we were.
Therefore, I want recommend that as new more policies in transforming Agricultural Sector are coming, let us for once, be determined to do the needful in implementing some of these recommended solutions to the later to see the effect and take another aspect.
So many conferences, seminars, committees are being set up from one adminstration to the other and each time, resources were earmarked for previous activities but hardly results were recorded.
Therefore, let’s tilt a little as policies are being rolled out, implementing such policies should be concurrent with implementation, monitoring and evaluation is also another key important area that needed serious overhauling to achieve the desired goals of transformations.
Top to bottom implementation especially in distribution of government interventions seems to be outdated. I therefore, recommend a switch from the usual top to bottom implementation to that Bottom top where these interventions should start from the real targeted beneficiaries.
Timing is of great essence for a successful and profitable farming practices. Inputs should be supplied to farmers in advance in order to have value of such inputs because farmers can begin their plantations in good time and have a good yield. That also will mitigate the unfortunate of selling inputs or items meant to be used by the farmers.
Resuscitation of well trained Extension Officers to guide our farmers in farming activities, use of modern technology to fast tract various activities in farming is very key. Moving from manual practices to mechanised farming is well overdue in our country. Those highlighted areas aspect should be considered as matter of urgency especially that raining season is by the corner as matter of fact some places within the country has started witness rain falls.