Varsity Tackles Food Insecurity, Climate Challenges In Nigeria

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), has developed innovative solution to food insecurity, food waste and climate challenges in Nigeria.

Known as “Functional Instant Green Healthy Nutritious Food Flours” (FIGHN), the innovation was developed through an interdisciplinary research pioneered by Prof. Boniface Agugo.

Speaking to newsmen, Agugo said the innovation was being projected as a homegrown solution to food insecurity, nutrition challenges, post-harvest losses, non-communicable diseases and climate change.

His words: “The technology converts fresh agricultural produce, including cassava, yam, cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, into nutrient-rich, shelf-stable functional flours with a storage life of more than 12 months.”

“It is open to partnerships and investment from governments, non-governmental organisations, development partners, private investors and other critical stakeholders to facilitate large-scale production, adoption and commercialization of the innovation across Nigeria, and Sub-Saharan Africa.”

‎According to the inventor, the FIGHN was also conceived “to address the paradox of widespread post-harvest losses occurring alongside persistent hunger, malnutrition and poor diets across the country and Sub-Saharan Africa”.

‎”The technology enhances the nutritional quality of traditional foods such as fufu, pounded yam, pap, breakfast cereals, complementary foods, snacks and composite flours for bread and pastries without altering their cultural identity or taste.

‎”I’m worried that many groundbreaking discoveries by Nigerian universities fail to reach the marketplace due to inadequate commercialization structures, limited investment and weak collaboration between researchers, industry and government,” he said.

‎He urged governments, development finance institutions, donor agencies, manufacturers, financial institutions, private investors and other stakeholders to support the commercialization of the patented technology.

‎He said that governments should integrate indigenous food technologies into school feeding programmes, nutrition policies, healthcare interventions and agricultural transformation initiatives.

‎Speaking further, Agugo encouraged the universities to strengthen their technology transfer systems that will enable their research findings to become commercially viable products.

‎According to him, “Already the country possesses the scientific expertise, agricultural resources and youthful workforce required to build globally competitive agro-processing industries.”

‎The professor stressed that greater confidence in local innovations and increased investment in homegrown technologies were urgently needed to unlock the country’s full potential in agriculture.

He added, ‎”The research has been completed, the patent secured, and the technology proven. The next critical step is large-scale commercialization to deliver lasting economic, nutritional, environmental and public health benefits.”

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