As the food and nutrition crisis is set to hit over 33.1 million Nigerians by August 2025, the Federal Government, yesterday, charged academic institutions to transform unused lands into food production hubs.

The call was made by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Food Security, Barrister Yejide Ogundipe, while delivering a speech on ‘Food Security and the Role of Research Institutions in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’, at a quarterly meeting of provost of national committees of agricultural research institutes and related matters.

Ogundipe also expressed concern that over the years Nigeria has been referred to as having “agricultural potential”, but “potential alone does not fill empty stomachs.”

Meanwhile, she pointed out that the agricultural research institutions occupy a strategic position and play a key role in achieving food security under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to her, the Tinubu-led administration has put the nation’s agricultural sector in the front burner as he had demonstrated a strong political will to change the narrative as he made food security a core priority under his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.

She also added that agricultural education institutions should extend their focus beyond production and provide training on post-harvest management solutions to reduce food losses and improve food availability.

She said: “Despite agriculture’s critical role in our economy, Nigeria still struggles to feed itself. “For decades, our nation has been described as one filled with promise and vast agricultural potential. Yet, as we all know, potential alone does not fill empty stomachs.

“Furthermore, Colleges and Research Institutes must transition agriculture from being purely theoretical to practical, actively engaging in farming for food production.

“Academic institutions in Nigeria possess vast tracts of unused land that can be repurposed for food production and food processing hubs. These institutions can help curb the food crisis by involving undergraduates and youth from local communities in farming activities, while adopting modern agricultural practices and tools. This initiative will not only provide food for university residents and host communities but also cultivate a new generation of skilled agricultural practitioners.”

However, she noted that agricultural productivity remains low, and food production has not kept pace with Nigeria’s rapidly growing population. Several challenges, including insecurity, climate change, and outdated farming practices, continue to hinder progress in the sector.

Therefore, she highlighted that the President recognizing the urgent need for action, the President took three strategic steps immediately after assuming office: Declaration of state of emergency on food security on July 13, 2023.Renaming the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasizing the government’s renewed focus on ensuring food availability for all Nigerians.

Also he created the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Food Security, with a clear mandate to drive policy integration, promote sustainable food production and supply, and enhance stakeholder coordination in tackling food insecurity.

She also urged Nigerians and relevant agricultural institutions to work in synergy and not in silos to act now, because, “Food security is not merely a policy agenda — it is a national imperative. We must leverage the knowledge and expertise within our research institutions and educational bodies to address the pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

“Through collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to progress, we can transform agriculture into a thriving and sustainable sector that guarantees food for every Nigerian. Let us work together to turn our agricultural potential into reality.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, ARCN, Garba Sharubutu, and other officials commended the efforts of the Tinubu-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food and nutrition security, and assured their support and readiness to assiduously work with the Tinubu administration to ensure that agricultural colleges receive the necessary resources to drive innovation and productivity in the sector.

However, in a remark, the President of the National Committee of Agricultural Research Institutes and Related Matters and Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Dr Fadiyimu Akinyemi, lamented the neglect of Colleges of Agriculture as they struggle to survive in terms of lack of funding and institutional support, which they have been longing and begging for but had always bypassed them, therefore, the nation’s agricultural sector has been in a deep crisis.

“Universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education receive intervention funds, but agricultural colleges get nothing. Who will explain why?” he questioned.

He also alleged that Colleges of Agriculture do not benefit from TETFund interventions, while speaking on lack of access by the agric colleges to commercial bank loans, or even private sponsorships, which are areas that would have boost the productivity of the colleges to salvage Nigeria from the current food crisis.

“A rare opportunity for private funding arose in 2023 when an individual proposed a research centre, but bureaucracy has stalled the initiative.

“Despite their hands-on approach, they remain underfunded, unrecognized, and institutionally invisible”, he lamented.

Meanwhile, stakeholders at the meeting expressed optimism that the panacea to food security and performance by research institutes is for government and donor agencies to increase and improve funding, sustainable policy implementation process devoid of politicisation, and genuine collaborative efforts, and also assured that if the right things are put in place and done Nigeria’s agricultural colleges will galvanize the sector.