KSP 4th Combined Convocation: University Don, Omada reel out strategies to tackle nation’s surging food insecurity »

…emphasise on farmer’s security, access to government support

….urge kogi polythecnic to evolve the use of appropriate tools, human resources in production, processing, storage of food

The Director, Research Administration, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and one time Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Prof. Itah Omada has opined that strategies which include allowing vulnerable families have access to food, water and funds to make vital purchases, engagement with development partners, promoting climate-smart farming techniques, improving supply chains, investment in research and a host of other practical strategies would be effective in addressing food security concerns.

He pointed out that the security of farmers in Nigeria is very important as well as government’s involvement in boosting the Agricultural sector with innovative tools that will assist rural farmers, adding that government’s encouragement and support so as to get farmers back to farm in both raining and dry seasons were practical steps that Nigeria government must also take with regards to concern over food security.

The Academic administrator made this known on Friday during the 4th combined convocation ceremony lecture titled ‘’providing national food security; The Role of Nigerian Tertiary Institutions’’ where he pointed out that polytechnics like Kogi Polytechnic should play roles like the facilitation of technlogy for food processing and storage, establishing the school of food science and technology, while the college of Engineering, Itakpe should be equipped to produce agricultural implements necessary to encourage a revolution in agriculture sector in the state.

While he pointed out that the challenges, causes, problems and effects of food insecurity in Nigeria were so evident, the former Rector opined that government has a role to play in minimising these challenges if not total eradication.

Prof. Omada said that government could intervene in areas of better irrigation system, improved fertilisers, supplying to farmers disease and drought resistance seeds which can produce large harvest thereby increase development process.

He also asserted that government and private sector can have alliances which has the tendency of fostering real growth, create new bustling market places and fuelling supply and demands in a bid to assist farmers to sell their product. The guest lecturer alluded further that women farmers should be encouraged with the provision of the right tools.

According to him, he recommended that the kogi state polytechnic, must take the lead through technology, vocation, entrepreneurship and training strategies to help the nation solve the national food security challenge adding that good roads, water, schools and electricity should be provided by government in rural areas to reduce rural-urban migration.

In their separate remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja and chairman convocation lecture, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi and Prof Marietu Tenuche, Vice of the Prince Abubakar Audu University, both agreed that the topic of the lecture was timely and relevant to current global, national and local realities while the praised the guest lecturer for his astute delivery.

While advising the graduating students, the academics urged them to make the most of their learning by ensuring they remain self sufficient, while they present themselves as worthy ambassadors of the polytechnic wherever they find themselves.