Faculty of Agriculture, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Holds Maiden Int’l Conference on Food Insecurity

Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, has identified climate change, population growth, economic volatility and outdated agricultural practices as some of the factors responsible for food insecurity in Nigeria.

Sir Onyeme highlighted the challenges at the maiden Annual International Conference of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, with the theme: “Building Resilience Against Hunger: Addressing Nigeria’s Food Insecurity Challenges”.

The Deputy Governor, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Sir Chris Osakwe, said the event was a clarion call for reflection on the urgent need to build robust agricultural systems that could withstand shock, feed the population and secure the future of citizens.

He stated that agriculture was more than an economic activity, describing it as the heartbeat of the rural communities, the bedrock of national stability, and the pathway to sustainable development, adding that for Delta State, ensuring food security was not just a goal, but a strategic priority.

The Deputy Governor commended the Faculty of Agriculture for its foresight and dedication, noting that the University’s work, research, ideas and solutions were the seeds that would grow into food security for the people.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Ben Oghojafor, noted that food insecurity had assumed a worrisome dimension and required the participation of every Nigerian, including the academia, in proferring the right solution, which he said was to own a farm, no matter how small.

Prof Oghojafor revealed that as part of measures to address food insecurity, it was a matter of policy that every student of the University in the Faculty of Agriculture must be assigned some square meters of land for practicals, while those studying fishery and aquaculture were sure of baskets or GP tanks for fingerlings production.

In a keynote address, the guest lecturer, Prof Eric Eboh, said breaking the perennial vicious cycle of food insecurity required paradigm shifts in policy template and programme implementation, adequate budgeting and funding, institutional coordination, technology leveraging, among other measures.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof Emmanuel Inoni, said the event was aimed at engaging in thought – provoking discussions, exploring cutting-edge research, and learning the best practices in the field.

The programme featured the exhibition of various agricultural products and was attended by the member representing Oshimili South Constituency in the State Assembly, Hon Bridget Anyafulu, the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof Johnbull Tonukare, Dr. Idolo Ifie from the University of Leeds, notable academics from sister institutions, among others.