Food security: Adequate, timely resolution of farmers/herders’ clash necessary – expert

Prof. Veronica Obatolu, Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, has urged adequate and timely resolution of crises between farmers and herders to promote food security.

Obatolu also said that Nigerians should determine to coexist peacefully to achieve meaningful progress in food security.

Obatolu spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan.
She said that there was need for the agro-industry to be established through public/private partnership to enable food processing all over the country.

Obatolu urged governments to give more support for agricultural research and extension.

She added that governments should establish mechanised model farms where youths would be encouraged and empowered to practise agribusiness.

“Agriculture should be taken as a business; let us stop importation of certain food to boost our local production; this should be done strategically.

“Let us all consume what we produce and be wary of relying on imported food items,’’ she said.

She advised that adequate security should be given to farmers, agro inputs provided and incentives given to them.

She added that irrigation facilities should be given priority to boost agriculture.

“Irrigation is now a necessity in all agro-ecological zones of the country because of climate change; support in this area should not be restricted.

“It is important that governments should support research institutes to take up the challenge.

“The institutes will come up with ways of combating the looming food scarcity through increased research and deployment of technology to farmers for increased and improved agricultural production,” she said.