Food Security: Stakeholders Call on Government to Evolve Policies to Dismantle Food Productivity Barriers

By: Michael Mike

Stakeholders have urged the federal government to evolve policies that address the core barriers to food productivity, and that ensure environmental sustainability, public health, and economic resilience for smallholder farmers.

The advice was given in Abuja at the National Stakeholders’ Conference on Agroecology with the theme: Advancing Agroecology Principles and Practice for Food Sovereignty in Nigeria

The stakeholders in a communique after the meeting noted that agricultural systems across the world are under increasing pressure to meet growing food demands, stating that: “This pressure is high in Nigeria due to purportedly high population indices, coupled with climate change impacts, declining soil fertility, inadequate support for farmers and insecurity.”

They advised that: “As we grapple with this challenges, we must ensure that whatever actions we take are such that address the core barriers to food productivity, and that ensure environmental sustain-ability, public health, and economic resilience for smallholder farmers.”

They stated that: “Agroecology presents viable solutions to these interconnected challenges by emphasizing ecological balance, biodiversity, farmer empowerment, and food sovereignty. The shift toward agroecology and organic agriculture is gaining momentum in Nigeria with the active support of civil society, public institutions, and farmer-led initiatives. However, there is need for cohesiveness of efforts to ensure not only the adoption of agroecological practices but also an enabling policy environment as well as relevant research.”

The national conference brought together key actors in the agroecology and organic agriculture space including farmers, researchers, civil society organisations, youth and women’s groups, policy advocates and the media for a full day of dialogue, knowledge exchange, and strategic planning. The conference also featured a reportage on the progress of Agroecology and Organic Agriculture in Nigeria.

Specifically the conference showcased and discussed the current state of agroecology and organic agriculture in Nigeria; fostered collaboration among farmers, civil society organizations (CSOs), government ministries, academia, and the media; identified policy gaps and opportunities to scale agroecological and organic practices and exposed false solutions to the food and climate challenges.

The stakeholders observed during dialogue that agroecological practices can increase food sovereignty- which, beyond food security protects and promotes the right of choice and control by local communities and people of their seeds and foods.

“Agroecology assures healthy and culturally appropriate nutrition, increased crop diversity, improved soil health by enhancing and improving soil microbial populations, climate change mitigation through reduced emissions from industrial processes, climate change resilience through biological diversity and empowerment of local communities.

“Success stories abound on how agroecology can transform food systems e.g the introduction ofdrought-resistant orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in Pelungu, Ghana, improved food security and nutrition in a dryland farming area. In Kenya, the ParticipatoryEcological LandUse Management (PELUM) Network promoted African leafy vegetables, reviving traditional agricultural practices and organic farming techniques. This led to improved livelihoods, increased crop production, and stronger community-based enterprise. In Malawi, the ”NeverEndingFood”initiative uses permaculture-based agroecology to combat food insecurity. By diversifying food production and improving nutrition, it has created year-round food sources for communities, transforming degraded land into productive farms.

“In Nigeria, the Be the Help Foundation Agroeforestry farm effectively demonstrates how agroecology through agroforestry can assure economic empowerment for farmers as well as environmental sustain-ability.

“Barriers to agroecology and by extension, food sovereignty include limited knowledge, poor access to land (including land grabs) and credit for farmers, poor extension service, and dependence on toxic/synthetic agrochemicals.

“Another major barrier to food sovereignty in Nigeria is the spread of GMOs, which creates dependency on multinational corporations for seeds and food production. GMOs also lead to soil degradation through the use of toxic herbicides.

“The goal shouldn’t be merely to achieve food security but food sovereignty where healthy food is guanranteed, and the local people are in control of their seed and food systems. Food sovereignty must take precedence over mere food security.

“Food security cannot be achieved without local control over food systems, seeds and agricultural processes (food sovereignty). But this can only be achieved by creating policies that protect farmers’ rights and agricultural autonomy.”

They declared commitment to champion
the adoption of agroecological practices across Nigeria’s farming communities; Prioritize food sovereignty over food security in policy discussions and implementation; Advocate for research and development in agroecological methods suited for the Nigerian context, and strengthen both academic and farmer-led research initiatives; Ensure farmers’ rights to seeds, land, water and other resources as well as a preservation of their traditional seed varieties; Address the critical knowledge gap regarding agroecology’s importance for our national development; Promote local food systems that preserve indigenous knowledge and cultural food practices.

They also assured to push for government investment in agroecological research and extension services; Create improved communication channels and knowledge-sharing practices among farmers, communities, researchers, and policymakers to enhance the visibility and effectiveness of agroecological methods; Follow up with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on the plan to mainstream agroecology into national policies following the inclusion in Nigeria’s NDC 3.0.
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