January 07, (THEWILL) – Professor Joseph Ita Omada, former Rector of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, and Director, Research Administration at the National Open University of Nigeria, has called on tertiary institutions across the country to take the lead through technology, vocation, entrepreneurship and training strategies in tackling the nation’s food security challenges.
Prof Omada also called on the Nigerian government to hastily attend to security challenges bedeviling the nation so that farmers could put in their best to produce enough food without fear of being attacked.
He made the call in a Convocation lecture, themed, ‘Providing National Food Security: The Role of Nigerian Tertiary Institutions,’ which he delivered to mark the 4th Combined Convocation ceremonies of the Kogi State Polytechnic held at the institution’s main campus in Lokoja at the weekend.
He recommended that government at all levels should assist farmers with quality seeds and innovative tools like fertiliser as a way to end the prevailing hunger ravaging communities across the country.
“Dry season and irrigation farming should also be encouraged and supported by government to both small and large-scale farmers, as well as the provision of good roads, water, schools and electricity in rural areas to reduce rural-urban migration.”
Omada affirmed that a lot of gains are derivable from food security, saying that according to a report by USAID (2011) where food is available, accessible, stable and well utilised by all people, peaceful coexistence will be experienced and the nation will record steady development.
He enumerated the gains of food security to include; secured human dignity, real opportunity to explore available resources, ensure justice, security at highest level, unlock the vast resources of human innovation, experience less hunger, stronger and a healthier nation.
Other gains of food security, according to him, include a better future for children where their brains are developed tremendously, upliftment of the economy and improvement of household income
“A country that has food security will attract investors who will add to growth and development, as well as improve the economy of the nation. These investors will be employers of labour which in turn will add value to people’s lives, reduce levels of unemployment, poverty and hunger,” he maintained.
Earlier, the chairman of the convocation lecture and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Akinwumi Olayemi, had commended the choice of the lecture topic, saying that it would go a long way in finding a lasting solution to the nation’s dwindling economy and food security.
