FUAM VC harps on need for Nigeria to achieve food security by 2050

From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Prof. Emmanuel Kucha, has stressed the need for Nigeria to work towards attaining food security to be able to cater for its projected population of 450 million by the year 2050.

Kucha who gave the advice while declaring open the 41st Annual Conference of the Genetic Society of Nigeria (GSN), on Monday, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

He maintained that reports had shown that four of every 10 Nigerians were at risk of going to sleep without food.

“Nigeria is projected to have a population of 450 million people by 2050 which is not very far away. While our population is growing, we are informed that four out of every 10 Nigerians go to sleep without food. This means that in order to address this, Nigeria must be food secured.

Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. John Ayoade, the Vice Chancellor posited that one way to address the issue of hunger and attain food security is to have improved seeds of both crop and animal.

The Vice Chancellor, however, challenged the GSN to work hard on improving the quality of seed in animals and crops with safety of humans in mind stressing that, “while we are looking for improved seed, we must be careful about the safe use of these seeds.”

Earlier in a welcome speech, National President of GSN, Prof. Emmanuel Kwon-Ndung, said that the conference would help to see the appealing prospects and dimensions of how genetics can contribute in reviving the nation’s socio-economic platform.

He urged participants to in addition to concentrating on laboratory niches of developing genetic solutions, facilitate evidence upon which sound public policy can be based by convincing policy makers not to disregard scientific evidence in favor of their own predetermined agenda as well as work closely with the media to disseminate the information.