Nigeria Seeks Stronger Investment In Science For Africa’s Agrifood Systems

Nigeria has canvassed stronger investment in science, technology and innovation to transform Africa’s agrifood systems.

The minister of Agriculture and Food Security,  Abubakar Kyari, said the continent’s future prosperity would depend increasingly on the strength of its agricultural research, institutions and scientific capacity.

Kyari  said Africa’s agricultural transformation could no longer depend solely on its abundant land and natural resources, stressing that knowledge must be converted into innovation, enterprise and opportunities capable of improving the lives of citizens.

While opening the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW9) and the 10th General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in Abuja yesterday, he said Nigeria was pursuing reforms and investments in irrigation, mechanisation, improved seeds and fertiliser access, agricultural finance, digital agriculture and agro-industrial development, as well as strengthening research institutions, universities and extension systems.

Kyari said emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, satellite systems, biotechnology and data science, were creating opportunities for Africa to develop agricultural solutions tailored to its own ecological and production realities.

He said, “Before countries became prosperous, they first learned how to feed their people; and before they transformed agriculture, they invested in science.

The future of African agriculture will not be determined solely by the size of our farms or the extent of our natural resources. It will be determined by the strength of our institutions, the quality of our science, and our willingness to invest consistently in knowledge.”

The minister urged stronger collaboration among governments, researchers, development partners, the private sector and farmers, noting that no country or institution could independently tackle climate change, pests and diseases, land degradation, market volatility and food insecurity.

Kyari said research must move beyond scientific publications to generate measurable impact through higher productivity, employment, improved nutrition, climate resilience and economic growth.

Chairperson of the FARA board of directors, Bongiwe Njobe, said the gathering provided an important platform for Africa to assess its progress, exchange evidence and experiences, and agree on scientific and innovation priorities for the next three years.

Njobe said the discussions were taking place against the backdrop of a worsening climate crisis that was reshaping Africa’s food and livelihood systems, with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, droughts, floods and ecosystem degradation placing unprecedented pressure on farmers and economies.

She said science, technology and innovation must serve as the bridge between climate adaptation and economic transformation, while insisting that women, youth, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups must be deliberately included in agricultural programmes.

Njobe also called for stronger institutions, accountable leadership, predictable financing and improved human and institutional capacity to implement and monitor complex agricultural and climate-resilience programmes.

Njobe said, “Science, technology, and innovation are the engines that will convert political commitment into measurable results.

They are the bridge between climate adaptation and economic transformation. We must maximise the impact that we are having at every level across our continent.”