Taiwo Hassan 
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has disclosed that a comprehensive multi-faceted approach is essentially needed by the tiers of government to tackle the spiraling food inflation and food crisis in the country.
Chairman, AFAN Lagos Chapter, Dr. Femi Oke, in an interview with New Telegraph in Lagos, pointed out that investing in soil fertility and fertiliser production means that “we must ensure that these resources are used efficiently to close the fertilisation gap and improve crop yields.”
Oke explained that the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021-2025) emphasised a food system approach that addresses land, soil, seed, and water security, adding that mechanisation, harvest security, storage, and postharvest logistics were crucial to enhancing productivity and reducing waste.
He also stated that the National Food Security Council must be expanded to include key stakeholders at the federal and state levels, saying that “this will ensure coordinated efforts to match national demand requirements and facilitate seamless delivery of agricultural inputs to farmers.
In addition, he revealed that an urgent, coordinated hunger response involving public, private, and civil society sectors was needed, stressing that this response should leverage existing local production lines to build resilience and address immediate food needs.
According to him, “enhancing the capacity of our strategic grain reserves and expanding food bank operations can help mitigate immediate hunger crises and address food loss and waste.
“Developing a robust riskbased framework to assess and mitigate risks at the national level will improve our resilience to food systems crises and enhance competitiveness in global markets.”
“Nigeria’s unique geographic and demographic factors position us favourably to become a global leader in agricultural production. “Our vast arable land, diverse climate, and extensive labour force offer immense potential for growth and development.”
Oke stressed that through several strategic steps, the country can harness its agricultural potential through maximising arable land utilisation as currently, only 41 per cent of the country’s total arable land is under cultivation.
“We can increase agricultural output and productivity by addressing land insecurity and enhancing land management practices,” he noted.
Also, the renowned farmer hinted that the gap between demand and supply of quality seeds persisted, thus enhancing access to high-yield seeds and investing in research and development will boost crop productivity.
He noted that increasing the number of functional tractors and enhancing local manufacturing capabilities will propel our agricultural sector towards industrial mechanisation.
To him, strengthening postharvest logistics and storage facilities will reduce losses and ensure agricultural produce reaches markets optimally.
The AFAN boss noted that empowering women and young people in agriculture would diversify our labour force and foster innovation and growth in the sector.
Oke said: “Therefore, our food security and production challenges are daunting, yet our competitive advantages provide a solid foundation to build a resilient and globally competitive agricultural sector.”
