Nigerian Varsity Boss Calls for Smart Solutions to Food, Environmental Crises
By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Prof. Mohammed Laminu Mele, has called on the federal and state governments to adopt technology and innovations in overcoming food security and ecological challenges in the country.
According to him, the world is confronted with the pressing challenges of climate change, evolving technologies, and the widespread food insecurity in the developing countries.
Mele spoke yesterday during the “Beyond Agriculture Conference” programme, held at the Muhammad Indimi Conference Centre, Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said it is crucial the federal and state governments and stakeholders broaden their understanding of agriculture and its interconnected systems to overcome the challenges of food security and climate change.
He noted that food security goes far beyond traditional farming and encompasses logistics, transportation, supply chain management, storage solutions, and the strategic innovation that should be adopted at the three tiers of government.
The VC declared that “to truly address food insecurity, we must think beyond agriculture,” adding that in Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast, agriculture is more than an occupation; it is a lifeline for the people.
Additionally, Prof. Mele said to ensure food security in a region that is facing both ecological and security challenges, we must reimagine agriculture through the adoption of technology and innovations.
The conference, themed “Creating Change and Solving Problems in Food Security,” was to embrace smart practices that maximise yields while conserving the various natural resources that abound in the six geopolitical zones.
He continued that the university is dedicated to teaching, research, and community service by leading the paradigm shift in the agriculture and livestock sectors of the economy.
Meanwhile, the university is undergoing the process of integrating cutting-edge agricultural technologies, including smart farming techniques, biotechnology, and sustainable practices, into the academic and research frameworks.
He said the approaches are tailored to the unique conditions of the semi-arid region that will ensure students are not only informed but also empowered to make a global impact.
“Innovations in agriculture, climate-smart practices, and entrepreneurial agribusiness models will produce a generation of agricultural professionals who are problem-solvers, innovators, and agents of change,” he said.
He added that the collaborative solutions could also shape the future of food security in the country.
A panel of discussants comprising Abubakar Ibrahim, Dr. Shettima, and Jelani Inuwa Sani also deliberated on “Nutrition, Not Just Production: Rethinking What We Grow” and resolved that technology and innovations are critical in tackling food security and climate change in the Northeast.
While the second panel of Ajibola Oladipo, Aanuoluwapo Agboola and Mustapha Waliare stressed the roles of youths in agricultural technology to boost food security with climate-smart agriculture in the region, comprising Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states,
The convener of the Beyond Agriculture Conference, Adebayo Adeleke, remarked that youths and women in the agritech sector will play a critical role in overcoming food security and ecological challenges.
Adeleke urged the students to join the course of adopting “technology and innovations” in the agricultural and livestock sectors of the economy.
