The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Nyaudo Ndaeyo has assured that the President Bola Tinubu-led government has demonstrated pragmatic approach to overcome the food scarcity.
Prof. Ndaeyo noted that overcoming the prevailing hunger and malnutrition in the country would remain a mirage without action plan to confront the problem.
Ndaeyo stated that the path towards attaining food security was still thorny despite various interventions by governments and agencies.
The professor of farming systems agronomy made the submission while presenting the 111th inaugural lecture of the University entitled; “Farming System in Nigeria: Wallowing in Food Security Amid Abundance?” in Uyo at the weekend.
Ndaeyo, who highlighted his various contributions to knowledge to achieve food security, submitted that there was abundance of food without food security in Nigeria.
“I have taken you through my contributions to knowledge in the area of bush-clearing, tillage practices, soil studies (particularly soil fertility) farming systems and general crop production.
”I have mentioned many crops I worked, maize, cassava, cocoyam, yam okra, fluted Pumpkin, cowpea onion etc all these efforts were towards alleviating Nigeria from food insecurity.
“Despite these efforts, we are still far from achieving the goal of food security. Therefore, and regrettably so, my submission is that Nigeria has food but there is no food security,” he said.
Ndaeyo, however emphasised that there is still hope as the Tinubu’s administration was looking into the issue of food security more squarely.
The VC who waxed spiritual, noted that what the country needed to first, harken to the advice from God in the book of Proverbs 12:11 and second, harness God-given agro-resources well.
“This notwithstanding, there is hope. There is hope as the present administration is looking into the issue of food security critically. All we need to do is first harken to the advice from God as recorded in proverbs 12:11” whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthiness pursuits lacks sense.
“Secondly, we need to harness our God-given agro-resources well. We have the land (23,768 square kilometers), the arable land (36.9m hectares), the population (over 200m),” he stressed.
He recommended appropriate land development technique, professing that using normal method cannot achieve much.
The VC also recommended that appropriate mechanisation should be put in place in the crop production chain, emphasising that “whatever food that is being produced is through extensification instead of intensification of green areas of land.”
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