Follow Us on Google
By Oluseye Ojo
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening food security through agricultural education, innovation and institutional collaboration.
He described agriculture as critical to Nigeria’s stability, economic growth and national development.
Akpabio made the disclosure at the maiden National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions for the South-West Zone, held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
The four-day summit, which was officially declared open by Akpabio, was organised by the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, under the chairmanship of Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, representing Oyo South in the National Assembly.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Unfolding the Potentials of Agricultural Colleges and Institutions Through Collaboration and Innovation to Enhance Food Security and Job Creation’, the Senate President said Nigeria must continue to invest strategically in agricultural research, technology and human capital development to unlock the vast potential within the sector.
Akpabio, who was represented by the Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Oyetola Ashiru, described agriculture as more than an economic activity, saying it remains central to national prosperity, peace and sustainable development.
According to him, nations that invest in agriculture strengthen their capacity for stability, employment generation and economic independence.
“Agriculture is life. It is civilisation. It is security…Nations that invest in agriculture invest in stability, employment, peace and sovereignty,” he stated.
Akpabio noted that Nigeria is richly endowed with vast arable land, diverse ecological zones, favourable climate conditions and a vibrant youth population, stressing that stronger collaboration among stakeholders would help transform the nation’s agricultural potential into sustainable prosperity.
He identified agricultural colleges and research institutions as strategic platforms for driving innovation, improving productivity and enhancing food security across the country.
The Senate President said that, with adequate support, the institutions could advance climate-smart farming solutions, improve seed technology, strengthen food processing and value chains, reduce post-harvest losses and create employment opportunities for millions of young Nigerians.
He stressed that collaboration among government, academia, researchers, development partners, investors and farmers remained essential for achieving meaningful agricultural transformation.
Other News
“We must dismantle institutional silos and build bridges between research and practice, between policy and implementation, as well as between innovation and accessibility,” he said.
Akpabio also emphasised the importance of innovation in modern agriculture, noting that the future of farming would be driven by mechanisation, biotechnology, digital systems, artificial intelligence, irrigation technology and climate adaptation strategies.
He urged young Nigerians to embrace agriculture as a sector filled with opportunities for enterprise, innovation and wealth creation.
“The future farmer today may operate drones, use artificial intelligence for crop analysis, deploy digital irrigation systems, manage greenhouse technology and trade agricultural products globally from a smartphone,” he said.
The Senate President assured stakeholders that the National Assembly would continue to provide legislative support and policy frameworks aimed at strengthening agricultural education, financing, research and commercialisation.
“As legislators, we recognise our responsibility to enact laws, provide oversight, encourage investments and create policy frameworks that will strengthen agricultural education, research, financing and commercialisation,” he added.
He further emphasised the importance of food security to national development, describing it as a vital component of peace, productivity and social stability.
According to him, Nigeria must move beyond subsistence farming to agro-processing, competitiveness and export-oriented agriculture capable of positioning the country as a leader in agricultural innovation and food production in Africa.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, described the summit as a landmark initiative aimed at repositioning agricultural institutions as drivers of food security, youth empowerment, innovation and sustainable national development.
Alli said the summit brought together lawmakers, policymakers, researchers, development partners, investors and stakeholders across the agricultural value chain to explore practical reforms and strategic partnerships for revitalising agricultural colleges nationwide.
In his keynote address, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, represented by the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Dr Adamu Abubakar, urged participants to ensure that deliberations at the summit translate into practical policies capable of strengthening agricultural institutions and improving food production systems in the country.
In his remarks, Director-General of IITA, Dr Simeon Ehui, represented by the institute’s Deputy Director-General in charge of Partnership, Dr Abdullahi Tahiru, said the summit represented a major step towards strengthening collaboration in agricultural research, food security and job creation.
He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing agricultural innovation, climate-smart farming and food security through research, partnerships and capacity building across Africa.
