The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State, Prof Nyaudo Ndaeyo, has expressed concern that overcoming the prevailing hunger and malnutrition challenges in Nigeria would remain a mirage unless a holistic action plan involving governments, students and other stakeholders was in place to confront the problem.
He noted that the path towards attainment of food security was still strewn with thorns despite various interventions by governments and agencies, but assured that hope was on the horizon as the President Bola Tinubu-led government has demonstrated pragmatic approach backed by strong political will to overcome the food scarcity.
The professor of farming systems agronomy in the department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture made the submission while presenting the 111th in the series of the inaugural lectures of the University entitled, “Farming System in Nigeria: Wallowing in Food Security Amid Abundance?”
The event was held at the 1,000-capacity TETFund auditorium of the installation at the weekend.
Ndaeyo, who highlighted his various contributions to knowledge to achieve food security submitted that there is abundance of food in Nigeria but there’s no food security.
He said, “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 and cowpea onion, 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 “Ndaeyo, however emphasised that there is still hope as the present administration is looking into the issue of food security more squarely
He called for the development of an 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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