…experts urge investment in local seeds, organic farming and backyard gardens 
…as Reps highlight new legislative efforts to tackle malnutrition
By Gloria Ikibah
Agricultural stakeholders have warned that Nigeria’s growing dependence on foreign seeds could threaten its food sovereignty, urging the government to invest in local seed production and encourage Nigerians to embrace organic farming and backyard gardening.
The stakeholders made the call on Friday during a World Food Day media briefing at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, organised by the Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR), in collaboration with the Loveworld Ministry of Food Technology and Sovereignty.
They urged Nigerians to take practical steps to improve food production through the Let’s Go Planting initiative, stressing that households, schools and communities could play a significant role in reducing hunger and improving access to nutritious food.
World Food Day is observed annually on 16 October to raise awareness of hunger, food security and the need to ensure that everyone has access to safe and nutritious food.
The 2026 observance comes amid growing concerns about food affordability, sustainable agriculture and the resilience of food supply chains.
Speaking at the briefing, the Executive Director of CAfPRA and Deputy Director of CEFSAR, Segun Adebayo, said food availability alone did not guarantee food sovereignty if a country relied heavily on foreign suppliers for the seeds needed to sustain agricultural production.
He warned that dependence on imported seeds, particularly varieties that cannot be replanted after harvest, could expose Nigeria’s food system to disruptions in international supply chains.
Adebayo called for greater investment in locally produced, regenerative seeds that farmers can preserve and replant, arguing that control over seed production was essential to building a resilient agricultural sector.
“Everybody must eat. Food is not discriminatory. But we have to be very careful about what we eat because what we eat matters a great deal,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to cultivate vegetables, fruits and other food crops in their backyards, gardens, schools and any available spaces, noting that food production should not be left exclusively to commercial farmers.
“Let’s Go Planting is not just a slogan; it is a call to action,” Adebayo said, encouraging individuals and communities to translate concerns about food security into practical efforts to grow their own food.
Also speaking, the Director of the Department of Agriculture at the Loveworld Ministry of Food Technology and Sovereignty, Pastor Tom Obiazi, raised concerns about the use of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals.
He advocated farming methods that protect soil quality, the environment and human health, arguing that agricultural progress should not be measured solely by increases in crop yields.
Obiazi, who drew on his experience growing up around an agricultural plantation, called for greater attention to organic farming and suitable alternatives that could reduce dependence on potentially harmful chemicals.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of Women Food, Juliet Okumoku Eniakor, stressed the importance of access to quality organic seeds in promoting safer and more sustainable food production.
Eniakor said her company prioritised organic seeds for farmers supplying its food-processing operations, adding that the Let’s Go Planting initiative could help educate Nigerians about sustainable farming practices and healthier food choices.
Ifeanyi A. Nwaokolo, representing the Loveworld Ministry of Food Sovereignty, called for stronger collaboration among farmers, researchers, investors, food processors and distributors to build a more resilient food system.
He emphasised the need to make different seed varieties available to farmers, particularly those that could be replanted after harvest, to reduce reliance on external suppliers and strengthen local agricultural capacity.
Lucasamo of Lou Freys Global Enterprise also urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to food quality, processing and packaging, saying sustainable production must be accompanied by responsible handling practices.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Chike Okafor, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to tackling malnutrition and strengthening Nigeria’s food and nutrition security framework.
Okafor, who was represented by the committee’s clerk, Adm. Agenti Milicent, said the committee had made progress in mobilising state legislatures and promoting legislative action on nutrition and food security since its establishment in December 2023 and inauguration in February 2024.
He disclosed that nutrition and food security committees had been established in 32 states, leading to the formation of the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security.
According to him, the network is working on legislative proposals to address key nutrition challenges, including extending maternity leave to six months and regulating the sale of adulterated vegetable oils in open markets.
He also disclosed that the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria Bill (HB.2659) had passed second reading in the House of Representatives, with a public hearing scheduled for 20 October 2026.
The National Nutrition Bill, an executive bill, is also at an advanced stage ahead of its transmission to the National Assembly for legislative consideration, he said.
Okafor identified effective oversight of nutrition funding, protection of local food systems and safeguards against the aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods to children as priorities for improving nutrition outcomes.
He warned that malnutrition and food insecurity remained major threats to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development, with rising inflation further worsening the difficulties households face in accessing adequate and nutritious meals.
The committee chairman called for stronger partnerships among government institutions, development partners and private organisations to address the country’s food and nutrition challenges.
The stakeholders agreed that sustainable food security would require more than increased agricultural output, stressing the need for reliable access to quality seeds, responsible farming practices, effective nutrition policies and greater public participation in food production.
They urged Nigerians to move beyond discussions about hunger and embrace practical measures to grow food, maintain healthier diets and support local agricultural systems.
