Uniuyo VC, Ndaeyo Offers Solution To Food Insecurity in Nigeria
By Uko Okon, Uyo
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, has proposed a comprehensive solution to address the perennial issue of food insecurity in Nigeria.
Ndaeyo spoke, Thursday, at UNIUYO’s main campus, Nwanaiba, Uyo during the 111th Inaugural Lecture on the topic: Farming System in Nigeria: Wallowing in Food Insecurity Amid Abundance?.
The Inaugural Lecturer decried that despite vast agrarian land, Nigeria was still importing food worth billions of naira.
“Nigeria imports of edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers from Uganda was 534.7 thousand dollars during 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.
“Money spent on food import on food import in the first quarter of 2024, January to March in Africa’s most populous nation surged 95.28 percent to 920.54 billion naira from 471.39 billion naira recorded in the same quarter of 2023.”
He emphasised the need for a multi-faceted approach to tackle the challenges of food insecurity, which has become a major concern in the country.
Ndaeyo recommended encouraging homestead or compound farming, stating that it contributes to food security
“Homestead or compound farming contributes to food security and should be encouraged. I submit that the sweet fragrance emitted by Queen of the night flower and other ornamentals in one’s homestead or compound cannot b compared to harvesting fresh farms produce from the homestead.
“Remember that it is the homestead farm that will be there for your family the day you cannot go to the market.”
The Vice Chancellor advised that organic and inorganic fertilisers should be used complementarily to achieve better crop yields, rather than applying each alone.
He said that crop yield per hectare should be improved and bridged through the adoption of improved and adaptable agronomic packages.
The Vice Chancellor advised using organic and inorganic fertilizers complementarily to improve crop yields.
He also suggested improving crop yield per hectare through adaptable agronomic packages.
