By Chinelo Obogo
A university don, Prof. Adio Folayan, has said that food security can be achieved through the collective efforts of government, communities, and individuals.
Folayan who is the Dean of the College of Health Sciences, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Ijesha, said this while delivering a lecture titled: “Resilient food systems: a foundation for sustainable national development” at the 11th Regional Food Science and Technology Summit held at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) and organised by the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology.
Folayan, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in Ekiti State, attributed food distribution crises in Nigeria to crop seasonality, inadequate storage technology and facilities, inadequate transportation and distribution systems, and inadequate market information. He said all these result in considerable spatial and seasonal variation in food production and availability, and are responsible for the considerable food price variations in the country.
The don said other major problems affecting food availability, especially at the household level, are the inadequacy of food storage and losses of cereals, roots, tubers, fruits, and vegetables. Other notable challenges to food security in Nigeria highlighted by him included land insecurity due to terrorism and banditry, soil insecurity due to fertilizer usage that is lower than the recommended amount, incessant conflict in the Northeast, climate change, and insecurity that limits market access and the movement of goods.
Folayan also cited a lack of adequate storage facilities, leading farmers to sell part of their produce soon after harvest at low and unremunerative prices, resulting in escalating food prices during the off-season period.
He said: “In view of the foregoing, an increasing number of Nigerian households have become food insecure as a result of the downturn of the economy, rising inflation, and escalating food prices that erode their purchasing power. The solution to the aforesaid problems lies in resilient food systems and food security for the purpose of ensuring sustainability for future generations.
“By addressing environmental, economic, and social dimensions, embracing diversity, adaptability, redundancy, connectivity, and inclusivity, we can build systems that not only provide adequate nutrition but also withstand and recover from disruption to enable the systems to ensure that food remains accessible and affordable even in times of crisis.”