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A keynote Address presented at the 48 th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society of Plant
Protection (NSPP), held at Bayero University Kano, on May 15th-18 th , 2023.
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| Professor (Engr) Mohammed Khalid Othman |
Preamble
Plant health and crop improvement are essential strategic tools of achieving food security in
Nigeria. Plant health is the state of plants being free from pests, diseases, and other stresses that
can negatively impact their growth and yield. Crop improvement, on the other hand, involves the
use of various techniques and technologies to enhance the yield, quality, and nutritional content
of crops. The combined benefits of these two strategies can immensely contribute to food
security in Nigeria.
Plant health contributes to food security by ensuring that crops are protected from pests and
diseases. Pests and diseases are major challenges facing agriculture in Nigeria, and with poor
management they can cause significant yield losses. By promoting plant health through the use
of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, farmers can reduce crop losses and increase
yields. IPM involves a combination of cultural, biological, and chemical control measures to
manage pests and diseases sustainably. This approach reduces the reliance on pesticides and
promotes the use of environmentally friendly and cost-effective pest management practices.
Crop improvement deals with the development of new crop varieties with superior quality and
quantity, and thus, contributes to food security by increasing agricultural productivity. Improved
crops become more resistant to pests and diseases, tolerant to drought, high yielding and can help
farmers to produce more food from the same land area. For instance, the development and
adoption of improved maize varieties in Nigeria has significantly contributed to increased maize
yields, thereby improving food security in the country.
The two strategies contribute to food security by improving the nutritional content of crops. New
crop varieties that have higher nutritional value can help to address malnutrition and related
health issues, which are prevalent in Nigeria. Biofortification, a crop improvement technique,
which involves increasing the nutrient content of crops, has been used to develop a vitamin A-
rich maize and cassava varieties that are being promoted in Nigeria. Additionally, by promoting
plant health, farmers can reduce crop losses due to pests and diseases, which can negatively
impact the nutritional content of crops. By increasing farmers productivity, crop quality and
access to food; as well as increasing the income of smallholder farmers, enabling them to earn
more from their harvests and thereby helping to reduce poverty. These can stimulate the growth
of agribusinesses, leading to more job opportunities and economic growth in both rural and
urban areas.
1.0 Introduction
More than 800 million people worldwide are chronically hungry, and 2 billion are micronutrient-
deļ¬cient (FAO, 2019). Food insecurity and low dietary quality cause huge public health
problems. Malnutrition is responsible for physical and mental development impairments, various
infectious diseases, and unacceptably high numbers of premature deaths (Development
Initiatives, 2018). Reducing these problems and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2,
“zero hunger and improved nutrition,” requires major transformations in global food systems
(Meemken and Qaim, 2018).
Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with over 200 million people and represents
about 47 percent of the population of the West Africa subregion (World Population Review,
2014). Agriculture is the major occupation in Nigeria, employing almost two-thirds of the active
workforce and contributing 22.35 percent of the national GDP (Statista, 2022). Despite being a
major producer of some commodities such as cocoa, cassava, and oil palm, the country has been
struggling to provide adequate food for its citizens with little success. The menace of food
insecurity in Nigeria has been attributed to several factors, including climate change, insecurity,
poverty, and inadequate agricultural policies (Adesanya et al., 2020).
According to the 2021 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranks 101 out of 116 countries, indicating a
serious level of hunger in the country. This is a cause for concern, as millions of people in
Nigeria are affected by food insecurity, with many of them unable to access nutritious food
regularly. The prevalence of poverty and hunger is more pronounced in the rural areas where up
to 80% of the population survive on less than one US dollar per day (Food Security Portal,
2021). In the rural areas of Nigeria, inadequate post-harvest technology and poor distribution of
food have combined with high poverty level to form an almost insurmountable challenge and
especially with unpredictable variations in weather conditions (Akintoye et al., 2019).
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (2020), rates Nigeria as the number one
producer of yam, cassava, and cowpea in the world; yet Nigeria remains a food-insecure nation
and relies heavily on the importation of grains, and livestock products, including fish. As
previously opined by Omorogiuwa (2014), Nigeria has about 75 percent of its land suitable for
agriculture, but only 40 percent is actually cultivated. The majority of the rural populace engages
in subsistent farming on small plots of land to feed their households and relies on seasonal
rainfall.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation, with the United Nations warning that
over 7 million Nigerians would face food insecurity due to the pandemic & economic impact. In
addition to the pandemic, the ongoing conflict in northeastern Nigeria has disrupted agriculture
and food systems, leading to food insecurity in the region (Okoye et al., 2018).
To address the menace of food insecurity in Nigeria, urgent action is needed to adopt good
agricultural practices to improve plant health and crop improvement techniques that will promote
climate-resilient agriculture, and enhance social safety nets for vulnerable populations. Without
these measures, the problem of food insecurity will continue to affect millions of Nigerians and
hinder the country's development (Ojo and Adebayo, 2022).
1.2 Causes of Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is a multifaceted problem. It is quite an uphill task to discuss the driving factors
for food insecurity in Nigeria (Adesina and Coulibaly, 2018). Nigerians lack enthusiasm for local
products and often consider them inferior to imported food products. The emergence of the oil
sector marked the imminent end of needed attention to the agriculture sector as the huge and easy
revenue generated from petroleum products shifted the attention from agriculture. This coupled
with socio-political instability which precluded the economic downturn, civil war, dwindling
human resource base, gender inequality, education decadence, poor health facilities, and the
general loss of good governance have coexisted to further degenerate food accessibility
(Adebayo et al., 2020).
Figure 1: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in Nigeria from 2014 to 2021(Statista, 2022)
The following among others have, however, been identified as the prime agents of food
insecurity in Nigeria.
1. Plants & Health under Threat
Plants are under constant attack from invasive pests. These pests can severely damage crops,
forests, and other natural resources that people depend on (FAO, 2018). Every year, they cause
billions of dollars of losses in crops and trade revenue, in addition to the expensive eradication
efforts. These pests are most often spread by people, especially through international travel and
trade. Despite declining resources for plant health protection services, international, regional, and
national plant health organizations continue in their efforts to protect plant health around the
world (FAO, 2018). One of their primary goals is to prevent the spread of plant pests into new
areas where they could cause significant environmental and economic damages. These
organizations accomplish this goal in many ways, from regulating the global trade of agricultural
products to developing innovative, scientific methods for addressing pest threats and promoting
best practices that reduce pest spread (FAO, 2018).
2. Poor Crop Improvement Techniques
Poor crop improvement techniques contribute to food insecurity in several ways. First, they can
result in low crop yields and poor crop quality, leading to reduced food availability. This
transcends to inadequate food to meet the needs of the population, leading to shortages and
hunger (FAO, 2017 and Bishaw et al., 2019). Second, poor crop improvement techniques can
reduce crop resilience to pests and diseases, which can have a devastating impact on the crop
production. This can lead to significant crop losses and reduce the overall food production
capacity of the country (IFPRI, 2019). Third, poor crop improvement techniques can limit the
adoption of new and improved crop varieties that are more resistant to pests and diseases, have
higher yields, and are more nutritious. This can lead to limited access to improved seeds and
other inputs, which are essential for enhancing crop productivity and food security (IFAD, 2020).
Furthermore, the poor techniques can lead to environmental degradation, and soil erosion, which
can further reduce the potential of the agricultural contribution to food security. This can also
have negative impacts on the livelihoods of rural farmers and exacerbate poverty and hunger
(FAO, 2019).
3. Insufficient Production
While Nigeria only has a fixed area of arable land, its growing population will soon stretch land
availability to its limits so that it will not be able to sustain the population (Nigerian Institute of
Social and Economic Research., 2018). Similarly, as the number of middle-income earners in the
developing countries increase, their consumption pattern changes making them consume more
meat. This will increase the competition for land space putting further pressure on grain and
soybean prices, supplies, and reserves since the production of meats will require far more land
space (Behnass et al., 2011). The major problem Nigeria is that the agricultural sector has
remained underdeveloped and depended too much on the primary agriculture system with
degraded low soils fertility, less external farm inputs utilization and significant loss of food crops
both before and after harvest, as well as lack of facilities for storage and preservation of food.
These have cumulatively contributed to the price fluctuation of agricultural products (Ilaboya et
al., 2022). Furthermore, agriculture is mostly practiced by peasant farmers who cannot access the
necessary inputs for optimum food production. According to the World Bank's statistics, 90% of
agricultural production in Nigeria is the outputs of inefficient peasant farmers. As a result, such
farmers only manage to produce sufficient food to sustain their immediate families (Ajeigbe et
al., 2018).
4. Climate Change and Natural Disasters
The Global climate change is another important driver of food insecurity that cannot be ignored.
Climate change is responsible for biodiversity loss in the ecosystem as well as other physical
access (Afolab et al., 2015). It has become one of the key divisors that are redefining the global
food equation and thus, having so much impact on the food security of particularly developing
nations. Behnass et al. 2011 described the climate change phenomenon as a time bomb that is
already ticking and waiting to explode. Already, people have begun to see the effect on global
warming, unpredictable weather patterns, and physical-biological systems (Behnass et al., 2011).
Although, developed nations are largely responsible for the emission of greenhouse gas, the
impacts of the resultant climate change are more severe in developing countries. Climate change
impacts the output of agriculture, and the distribution and accessibility of foods, particularly in
the developing countries. People from poor and rural areas are especially vulnerable not just
because of their locations but also because of their low adaptive capacity. While advancement in
technology has resulted in increase of food supply in developed countries, the production of food
crops still relies heavily on climate and weather conditions (Behnass et al., 2011). Natural
disasters and climate variability constitute other key factors making people from less developed
nations vulnerable to food insecurity. The impact of such phenomena as drought, flood, and
landslide is more pronounced in regions where agriculture highly depends on rainfall (Ilaboya et
al., 2022). While drought and landslides constitute a major threat to food availability, excessive
rain or flood has had a significant impact on the current hike in food prices. For example,
According to Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (GSEMA) statistics, almost 1,000
farms within Gombe were destroyed by flood in 2022 alone resulting in the loss of tonnes of
important food crops such as cassava, yams, maize, sugarcane, and vegetable (Ojo, and
Adebayo, 2022). These events can sometimes cause massive infrastructure destruction and loss
of stored food leading to inflation of food prices (Ilaboya et al., 2022). Nigeria Food Security
Outlook of Famine Early Warning Systems Network (2022) reported that Nigeria witnessed an
unprecedented flooding case between July and October 2022 as a result of persistent heavy
rainfall coupled with the release of water from several dams. This incidence caused displacement
of about 2.8 million people for several months and some households are yet fully recover their
livelihoods. A high level of food insecurity soon ensued in the regions due to low food stocks
and high food prices. (FEWS NET, 2022).
5. Low Technology for Processing and Storage
There is low level of agricultural mechanization in Nigeria so the agricultural sector depends
more on manual labor for the farm operations. Although, there are several uncoordinated
innovations in agricultural technology by private individuals and research centers but most of
these innovations are on shelves without being commercialized. Thus, most of the agricultural
technologies in Nigeria are imported, which local farmers can hardly afford in addition to the
lack of maintenance capacity (Nwajiuba, 2013). Inadequate or lack of facilities to preserve food
items such as cereals, yams, beans, and others result in wastage thereby further deepening the
insecurity level of food in the country. Food processing is an important aspect of agriculture that
prevents the wastage of food items that cannot be easily stored in their original form by
transforming them into other forms that can enable their preservation. For instance, mangos,
citrus, and pineapple can easily be preserved when converted into fruit juice. To achieve
sustainable food security, effort must be made to avert food wastages (Ilaboya et al., 2022).
Another major area of concern is inadequate power supply. Modern agriculture has become so
highly industrialized and dependent on energy. Mechanized farmers are very reliant on a
consistent power supply which has eluded Nigeria and become a mirage for successive
governments to achieve. Now, much of the agricultural products consumed are produced and
processed in other distant locations before being imported in to the country. Punch Newspaper of
2 nd January 2023 reported Food and beverage imports for households rose by 71.12 per cent
between the third quarter of 2018 and the corresponding quarter of 2022. By Q3 2022, the primary
food and beverage imports were about N153.82bn while that of processed foods were about
N123.82bn, making a total of N277.64bn. This translated to the Nigerian importation of foods and
beverages worth N3.085 billion daily from 1 st July to 30 th September 2022.
Food processing requires adequate power supply and fuel to keep the food prices low and
affordable for the common man (Behnass et al., 2011). However, with escalating prices of
petroleum products, there have been calls for diversification to increase energy efficiency. One
key alternative is biofuel and other agriculture-based energy production. This alternative will
create more competition for food items, particularly in Nigeria, and depending on how the
process is managed may increase the food insecurity (Behnass et al., 2011).
2.0 Roles of Plant Health in Promoting Food Security
Effective plant health management is critical for improving the productivity, profitability,
sustainability, and resilience of agrifood systems (World Bank Group, 2020). Yet, farming
communities, especially in low and middle-income countries, struggle to contain existing and
emerging plant pests and diseases. Each year, these threats cause on average of 10–40% losses to
major food crops, costing the global economy around US$220 billion (CGIAR, 2022).
Maintaining plant health has important consequences for human and animal health as an
important driver of food security and safety, as a source of livelihoods in plant-based agriculture,
as a source of pharmaceuticals, and as part of healthy environments (Foyer, et al., 2021). Plants
provide over 80% of the food consumed by humans and are the primary source of nutrition for
livestock (International Food Policy Research Institute, 2019).
Protecting plant health from invasive pests helps to increase food security, reduce poverty,
protect the environment, and boost economic development, especially in low- and middle-
income countries like Nigeria where agriculture is the primary industry.
The reasons are as follows:
(a) Boosting Food Security: Having an adequate and sustainable food supply is necessary to
achieve food security and eliminate hunger, but a difficult task to accomplish for many countries.
One threat to food security is invasive pests, experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) estimate that invasive pests are damaging as much as 40 percent of all food crops globally
each year. However, crops protectionists are also fighting back against pests that are destroying
food crops and other resources that are critical to long-term food security (Owoade et al., 2020).
(b) Reducing Poverty: For most developing countries, agriculture is a primary source of
income. Studies have shown that growth in agricultural incomes can significantly reduce
poverty. For example, agriculture played a key role in reducing Bangladesh’s poverty from 48.9
to 31.5 percent in 10 short years, according to a World Bank report. However, invasive pests can
have devastating effects on agriculture and natural resources. By protecting plants against pests,
plant health organizations are helping to increase agricultural productivity, improve rural
incomes, and reduce poverty (World Bank Group, 2020).
(c) Protecting the Environment and Human Health: Invasive pests contribute significantly to
biodiversity loss worldwide. When a pest is introduced into a new area, it can outcompete native
species for resources because it may have no natural enemies. Pest outbreaks have devastated
crops throughout history (e.g. Phytophthora infestans triggered the Irish famine in 1845, and a
severe outbreak of Brown spot fungus destroyed the majority of rice crops in the Bengal area in
1942-43), and they continue to threaten food security today (e.g. Fall Armyworm, native to the
Americas and recently detected in Nigeria, has rapidly spread across sub-Saharan Africa, and a
strain of Fusarium wilt disease, which has been causing serious losses in Southeast Asia, has
recently spread to the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia). By preventing the spread of plant
pests into new areas, plant health organizations are helping to preserve the variety of species
within a given ecosystem. Their efforts to reduce the spread of invasive pests are also helping to
curb the world’s use of pesticides, which affect bees and other pollinators. When plants are not
under constant attack from pests, farmers use fewer pesticides, which help protect the
environment andother living things including human being. In 2016, the World Bank reported
that 1.3 million square kilometers of forest were lost annually between 1990 and 2015.
According to a study by USDA economist Geoffrey Donovan, 21,000 people died in 15 USA
states because there were fewer trees providing health benefits (World Bank Group. (2020).
2.1 Roles of Crop Improvement Techniques in Promoting Food Security
In recent years, Plant breeding has significantly contributed to considerable yield growth
(Mondal et al., 2016). In addition, massive increases in the use of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides,
irrigation water, and other yield-enhancing inputs have helped to raise food production to feed
the ever rising population. Even though chronic hunger is still widespread in many developing
countries, the global proportion of hungry people was reduced from over 50% in the ļ¬rst half of
the twentieth century to around 11% today (FAO 2019). Certain techniques of crop improvement
are being applied thereby making food readily available to large proportion of the world
population. These are done through:
(a) Increasing per Seed Yield of some Crops: By the techniques of genetic transformation, a
few genes are transferred from one crop to another, and allowed to be incorporated into the gene
of the recipient plant, to develop high-yielding, short maturing or pest resistant varieties of crops
as desired. This technique has been used to develop high yields for some staple crops like maize,
sorghum, cassava, and yam. Similarly, using the same technique, , genes can be transferred for
early maturity or enhanced growth in these crops thereby obtaining new cultivars that are both
high yielding and early maturing. These cultivars will boost the output from individual plants
and the total output per hectare. When short-maturing varieties of these staple crops become
available, the limitation imposed by crop production seasons and exacerbated presently by
climate change and the total absence of irrigation facilities will be surmounted. This will give
rise to two or even three harvests of these staples in one farming season, thus ensuring their
availability in greater quantity at all times. Again by adding genes to these conventional crops to
help them resist pests and diseases, all the crops losses in the field incurred due to pest and
diseases attack will be curtailed, these crops will grow healthy from infancy to maturity and be
harvested intact, and that harvest will certainly be greater in quantity (Oyinbo et al., 2014).
(b) By Multiplying the Planting Materials for Farmers: Using the technique of tissue culture,
healthy planting materials can be produced especially in the case of some crops in Nigeria that
require a high volume of materials for planting. For example, cassava stems, yam sets, potato
cuttings, sugar cane stems, and pineapple plantlets, can be multiplied into millions through tissue
culture. This can substantially increase the volume of planting materials and the hectares of these
crops under cultivation thus, increasing the quantity of these crops harvested and available for
food. Today molecular Bioscience Ltd, a private sector biotechnology outfit in Calabar, Nigeria
uses this technique to propagate pineapple plantlets for farmers in the country. Similarly, IAR
was supported with tissue culture laboratory for the production of sugarcane plantlets. This lab
has capability of producing 100s of thousands plantlets for dates, sugarcane, pineapple, and
many others. Using this technique Nwakanma, 2020 reported that the institution has been able to
produce 200-250 plantlets every two weeks from one plant cell. This feat can be replicated for
other crops, thereby eliminating or reducing the shortage of planting materials and boosting food
production.
(c) By Increasing the Area of Land under Cultivation: Through gene transfer, crops can be
developed to withstand biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, these crops are enabled genetically to
grow successfully under extreme conditions in harsh agroecologies like drought or waterlogging
conditions. This will significantly increase the area of land under cultivation since land areas that
are hitherto not cultivable due to drought and excessive water logging will now be able to
support and sustain crop production. With the incorporation of these non-cultivable lands into the
areas under cultivation a greater quantity of crops can be raised and more food can be produced.
(e) Reduced Dependence on Agrochemicals: Through crop improvement techniques, crops
have been genetically engineered to acquire the ability to withstand high biotic stresses from
weeds and pests, with little use or no-use of herbicides (Isiyaku, 2010). Herbicide-tolerant crops
have been developed with ability of withstanding the application of broad-spectrum herbicides
without phytotoxicity risks. This has significantly reduced the frequent use of herbicide
application during the crop seasons, assuring less crop injury, and increasing yields. Many staple
herbicide-tolerant crops have been developed like maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, cowpea,
groundnut, yam, and sweet potato whose yield and quality are seriously hampered by weeds and
pests. Similarly, principle of agricultural biotechnology has been used to engineer crop plants to
develop resistance to specific insects that tends to cause damage to it. Such crops and weeds are
made to produce certain chemicals which if ingested by the attacking insect in the process of
feeding cause the insect to stop feeding and thereafter die. This ensures that the yields from these
crops which would have been reduced due to pests, weeds, and disease infections are saved for
harvest. The yields are also free from damage so food availability is enhanced.
2.2 Roles of Plant Health on Improvement of Crops’ Nutritional Content
Plant health and crop improvement techniques can also be used to enhance the nutritional
qualities of some staple crops. Through the techniques of gene transfer the nutrient composition
of some crops (cereals and legumes) can be altered to give a higher nutritive content and value.
Also, some vital nutrients not readily available from the staple diets of Nigerian households can
be inserted into these staple foods. This will provide highly nutritious foodstuff containing the
appropriate minerals, vitamins, and hormones which are capable of providing a high level of
nutrition to individuals to keep them in good health. This will lead ultimately to drastically
reducing the menace of malnutrition caused by food insecurity as individuals will be able to
deploy their human and material endowments in this direction. This will ultimately reduce the
national health bills as good health from good nutrition will keep people away from common
sickness diseases. Moreover, absenteeism from work due to hospital visits and admissions, and
loss of family breadwinners due to ill health will decline drastically and individual households’
and national expenditures on health care will be curtailed and the funds conserved can be used
for other national developments.
Using crop improvement technique, shelf life of fruits and other perishable are enhanced without
changing taste, texture, and appearance. In Nigeria, perishable crops are majorly (about seventy
percent, 70%) lost to spoilage because of poor preservation and storage. With this technique,
such perishable food crops can arrive at the end user's table without any alteration in taste,
texture, and appearance. This enables crops that are ready for harvest in one of the seasons of the
year in Nigeria and are scarce off-season, to be preserved in taste, texture, and appearance and
made available experienced during scarcity. These food crops can be transported for a long
distance and time without spoilage, which promotes better food distribution and increase the
availability and accessibility of these foods and enhance their utilization, thus contributing to
food security by increasing food quantity and availability, preserving nutritional content, and
enhancing food utilization. Consequently, with the availability of a variety of foodstuffs to
people throughout the seasons of the year, coupled with other food materials not native to
particular regions being available there, Nigerians now have a wide amplitude to choose from an
array of food materials to meet their dietary needs. This enables people to eat what they choose,
as it is typical under a condition of food security, and not just what is available.
2.3 Roles of Plant Health and Crop Improvement on Promotion of Economic Growth
Beyond agricultural benefits, plant health and crop improvement could offer several economic
benefits to individuals and the nation at large. As described earlier, plant health and crop
improvement allow the farmers to increase crop yields, through the development of high-
yielding, quick-maturing crop varieties. This will lead to an increase in food production which
makes for greater availability of food for an individual, household, and national consumption.
When this happens individuals will feed well on adequate and nutritious food and become
healthy. These healthy individuals can contribute their energies and labor through gainful
employment in other sectors including agriculture for a free or a wage, thus, gaining economic
empowerment out of poverty and disease. Again individuals, households, and national expenses
on food will be minimized and then invested into other economic ventures for greater profits,
thus bringing about financial independence and economic empowerment. Through decreased in
agrochemicals usage, production costs will be lowered with higher agricultural productivity and
income to the farmers (Chukwuma, 2018).
2.4 Challenges and Opportunities of Promoting Crop Health and Improvement Techniques
Nigeria's agriculture sector has the potential to address the country's food insecurity challenges
and create employment opportunities, but several challenges need to be addressed. Some of the
challenges are:
a) Poor infrastructure: Nigeria's agricultural sector faces significant challenges due to
inadequate infrastructure, including poor road networks, limited access to electricity, and
inadequate and poor storage and processing facilities. These challenges make it difficult
for farmers to transport their crops to markets, preserve them, and add value to them.
This, in turn, limits their ability to earn a reasonable income from their crops and invest
in better agricultural practices. Similarly, more than 30% of the arable land is
inaccessible for agricultural purposes due to lack of access roads.
b) Poor Extension Services and low Technology Adoption: This is another significant
challenge facing the promotion of plant health and crop improvement in Nigeria. Many
smallholder farmers lack the knowledge and skills to adopt new agricultural technologies
that could enhance crop productivity and promote plant health. This is because they not
aware of these improved technologies because of poor extension services. Moreover,
even when farmers are aware of the new technologies, they may not have the financial
resources to invest in them. High costs of inputs, including improved seeds, fertilizers,
and pesticides, make it challenging for smallholder farmers to adopt them, limiting their
ability to benefit from new technologies. The limited adoption of new technologies also
affects the overall agricultural productivity of the country. However, the low adoption
rate of new technologies limits the potential of the agricultural sector to contribute to
food security and economic growth in Nigeria.
c) Limited access to finance: Access to finance is crucial for farmers to invest in improved
seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs that can enhance crop yields and promote plant health.
However, many smallholder farmers in Nigeria lack access to credit facilities and
financial services, either due to high-interest rates, lack of collateral, or limited financial
literacy. As a result, they may not have the resources to purchase the necessary inputs for
improved productivity.
d) Climate change: Nigeria is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
including changing rainfall patterns, increased temperatures, and extreme weather events
such as droughts and floods. These changes can negatively impact crop yields and plant
health, particularly in regions that rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture. The lack of
adaptation measures and the absence of climate-smart agricultural practices exacerbate
the situation, limiting the resilience of the agricultural sector.
e) Poor soil health: Soil degradation is a major challenge in Nigeria's agriculture sector,
leading to reduced soil fertility and lower crop yields. This is caused by factors such as
overuse of chemicals, deforestation, and poor land management practices. To address this
issue, it is important to promote sustainable land management practices, such as crop
rotation, cover cropping, and the use of organic fertilizers, which can help to improve soil
health and increase crop yields.
f) Poor plant health: Poor plant health is a significant challenge facing agriculture in
Nigeria. Pests and diseases cause significant crop losses, reducing yields and lowering
farmers' incomes. In addition, plant health issues can also lead to food safety concerns,
affecting the quality of food produced and consumed in the country. Limited knowledge
and resources for effective plant health management, including the use of integrated pest
management techniques, further compound the issue.
However, these challenges can be adequately addressed, which will harness several opportunities
for the promotion of plant health and crop improvement in Nigeria. The opportunities associated
with promoting plant health and crop improvement in Nigeria are increased agricultural
productivity through the adoption of new technologies, such as precision agriculture and
biotechnology.
Precision agriculture involves the use of technology, such as sensors, drones, and GPS, to
optimize farming practices, leading to increased yields and reduced input costs. Biotechnology,
on the other hand, involves the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to enhance crop
traits, such as drought and pest resistance. While biotechnology is a controversial topic, its
potential to address some of the challenges facing agriculture in Nigeria cannot be ignored.
Another opportunity is the potential for increased investment in the agriculture sector. Currently,
Nigeria's agriculture sector is underfunded, with most smallholder farmers lacking access to
credit and other forms of finance. However, there is an opportunity to increase investment in the
sector, particularly through public-private partnerships and innovative financing models, such as
impact investing.
3.0 Strategies for Achieving Food Security in Nigeria
Going by its definition, food security however will not be achieved by simply increasing the
production of food. Even when food is sufficiently available, a poor hungry man will remain
food insecure as long as he cannot afford to buy it (Ogbonna et al., 2013). Hence, all four
components viz.; availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability must be present. Efforts to
combat food insecurity will, therefore, not only make food available but also ensure that people
can consistently afford to make it ready for consumption. Omorogiuwa, et al. (2014) in “The role
of agriculture in the economic development of Nigeria” stated that Nigeria is blessed with
abundant fertile agricultural land and a favorable climate as well as enviable human resources.
How then can food security objectives be met in Nigeria? The panacea lies in improving
agricultural productivity; enhancing science and technology; building farmers' capacity;
facilitating access to the market; and good governance amongst others (Ilaboya et al., 2022). In
this case, the strategies for achieving food security are categorized into economic, social,
environmental, and technological strategies.
3.1 Economic Strategies
The economic strategies can be achieved through the following steps:
a) Increase investment in agricultural sector: Over the years, Agriculture receives low
investment from both State and Federal Governments. Example, Federal
Government made budgetary allocation of between 1.3% and 3.4% to Agriculture in
annual budget from the year, 2000 to 2007 (Ado, 2015). In the year 2017,
combined expenditure of the federal and 30 state governments showed they spent
only 1 .8 percent of their total annual budget to agriculture. Under the Buhari
administration, budgetary allocation for agriculture rose from 1.70 per cent in 2017 to
2.00 per cent in 2018, fell to 1.56 per cent in 2019, and 1.34 per cent in 2020, before
recording a slight increase (1.37 per cent) in 2021 (Premium Times, Oct 2021).The need
to heavily invest in agriculture cannot be overemphasized. Federal and State
Governments should raise their budgetary allocation to agriculture to 10% of their total
budget.
b) Diversification of Rural Economy: As important as agriculture is to rural people, there is
a need for diversification. While some rural farmers may begin to enjoy the dividends of
access to the transforming equitable agricultural market that enable them to find their
route out of poverty and food insecurity, others may not be so successful. The whole rural
economy cannot be based on agriculture. Some may need to exploit other non-farm
opportunities which may as well be economically viable such as food processing,
essential service provision or trading. The government needs to provide an orientation
program and an enabling environment for the diversification of rural economies.
c) Provision of credit facilities and incentives: according to Naisbitt and Naisbitt (2016),
access to credit facilities has been shown empirically in various studies to have improved
farmers’ productivity. Small-holder farmers need to have access to credit facilities,
particularly during farm operation to enable them to afford quality seeds, pesticides, and
fertilizers as well as hire/purchase of equipment needed for production. Funds may also
be needed for labor support during harvest and for storage facilities (Olofinbiyi and
Adekunle, 2017). Other incentives such as subsidies on fertilizers can also help improve
farmers’ productivity.
3.2 Social Strategies
a. Social networking and organized farmers' cooperation: this is another important factor
identified by Naisbitt and Naisbitt (2016) that can significantly improve the livelihood of
smallholder farmers through interconnecting and cooperating. This helps protect the interest of
the most vulnerable farmers in a group and can serve as a base for human capital development
that enables the weaker farmers to cope with risks (FAO, 2017). It can serve as a viable capacity-
building platform for farmers and other social groups to form a force and gain access to credit
facilities, inputs, markets, and other resources (Oluwole and Ogunniyi, 2021).
b. Accessible education: this is indeed a mechanism that facilitates productivity in any field of
career (Oluwole and Ogunniyi, 2021). Lack of or inadequate education is the bane of farmers in
Nigeria, particularly in rural settlements. This is mostly not because of their lack of interest but
because they lack access to it. The government needs to make education affordable for low-
income urban and rural people. This will improve their ability to navigate opportunities and
technical know-how in the operation farm machinery and implements.
c. Provision of infrastructure: even in the most developed urban centers, a lack of basic
infrastructure such as access roads, electricity, and potable water as well as GSM and Internet
services can have an immense impact on the economy. For farmers to be productive these basic
amenities need to be accessible.
3.3 Environmental Strategies
a. Improved management of industrial effluents: Oluwole and Ogunniyi (2021) in their research
on the Impacts of industrial effluents on plants and soil in Bangladesh showed that industrial
effluents significantly deplete the nutrient content of the soil which reduces the growth, yield,
and nutrition of agricultural products. In Nigeria, oil spillage, gas flaring, and other industrial
effluents have consistently constituted a scourge for the agricultural sector, crippling
productivity. There is a need for an improved monitoring system of industrial compliance to the
Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and follow-up program to reduce the impact on
agricultural productivity.
b. Regulation of the use of fertilizers and other agrochemicals: the importance of fertilizers and
agrochemicals in today’s agricultural practice cannot be overemphasized. However, they also
have their associated environmental consequences. When nitrogen from fertilizers washes into
water bodies it kills aquatic life. Phosphorus can also make algae accumulate in water bodies
depriving fishes of oxygen leading to suffocation and thereby affecting the supply or availability
of fish for consumption (Engel, 2014 and CEMA, 2014). Measures should be taken to control the
usage of fertilizers and pesticides by farmers through training and orientation programs.
3.4 Technological Strategies
a. Crop rotation and diversification: crop rotation, mixing, and diversification is an important
practice that can improve the quality and yield of agricultural produce (Oluwole and Ogunniyi,
2021). This technique helps improves soil nutrients and can be used to control pests and diseases.
This system should be encouraged among farmers.
b. Irrigation system: Oluwole and Ogunniyi, (2021). also observed that irrigated farms in the dry
savanna agroecological zones give higher productivity than non-irrigated farms in the same
region. This system will be particularly useful in most of northern Nigeria. The nation should
increase irrigation farming by bringing more land under irrigation
c. Promotion of mechanized farming system: Ojo and Adebayo (2022) noted rise in food
insecurity in Africa and Asia despite the use of indigenous crop rotation systems as these
techniques are not enough to meet the demand of the fast-growing populations. There is a need
for mechanization of agriculture in Nigeria to improve production through the use of equipment,
machinery, and implements. To achieve an overall inclusive agricultural mechanization, the
Nigerian government needs to engage other public and private corporations as well as financing
institutions (CEMA, 2014).
d. Agricultural biotechnology: Biotechnology . It represents one of the success stories of science
and technology in recent times which has an immense potential to significantly reduce the global
food security challenges (Oyinbo et al., 2014).
Conclusion
The current food situation in Nigeria is fearful. Malnutrition, disease, and hunger are prevalent as
a result of food shortages. The present mode of food production falls short of addressing the
issues of food availability, accessibility, and utilization. Then, a need arises to use scientifically
proven strategies in dealing with food insecurity in the country. This will give rise to sufficient
food for the citizen which will lead to some economic gains at the individual, household, and
national levels.
Also, by maintaining healthy plants, farmers can increase crop yields and ensure food
availability for the growing population. Furthermore, crop improvement techniques such as
genetic modification, breeding, and precision agriculture can enhance plant resilience, nutrient
content, and pest resistance, leading to increased crop yields and better-quality food.
However, it is essential to balance crop improvement with environmental sustainability by
adopting sustainable farming practices, preserving biodiversity, and minimizing the use of
harmful agrochemicals. Additionally, there is a need for increased investment in the research and
development of novel crop improvement techniques and technologies that can help address food
security challenges and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Based on the discussions above, the following recommendations are made:
1. Develop and implement policies that promote sustainable agriculture practices, such as
agroforestry and conservation agriculture, to improve soil health, reduce the use of
synthetic inputs, and enhance biodiversity.
2. Encourage and support research on the development of novel breeding techniques that
enhance plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, increase yield potential, and
improve the nutritional value of crops.
3. Promote the use of precision agriculture technologies, such as remote sensing, geographic
information systems, and machine learning, to optimize resource use, minimize
environmental impacts, and increase crop productivity.
4. Enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers, especially women, and youth, through
training and access to credit facilities, to adopt sustainable farming practices, use
improved seeds and inputs, and participate in value chains.
5. Develop and implement effective plant health management strategies, such as integrated
pest and disease management, to prevent and control plant diseases and pests.
6. Foster partnerships and collaborations among stakeholders, including governments,
farmers, the private sector, research institutions, and civil society organizations, to
promote sustainable agriculture and food systems.
By implementing these recommendations, it is possible to achieve sustainable food security
while ensuring plant health and crop improvement.
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