Agriculture
Cocoyam Cultivation And Food Security
Food is one of the people’s basic necessities of life and government’s recognition of this fact informs its strenuous efforts to always ensure that foods are available at affordable costs to the populace.
It was not surprising, therefore, that the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua incorporated Food Security in his Seven-Point Agenda for the nation.
Pesident Goodluck Jonathan, who succeeded Yar’ Adua, has sustained the programme to ensure the production of sufficient foods for domestic and export purposes .
Part of this programme is to ensure that a wide variety of crops are cultivated across the country to satisfy a variety of needs and tastes.
However, experts say that despite Nigeria’s rich agricultural resources and endowments, its agricultural growth rate is relatively low.
As a result, the country spends over 2.8 billion U.S. dollars (about N420 billion) annually on foods import, so as to satisfy local consumption needs.
Towards redressing the ugly trend, the Federal Government had launched the Cocoyam Rebirth Initiative, through the instrumentality of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRl), Umudike, Abia State.
Officials say that the initiative aims at boosting the cultivation of cocoyam, fondly called” ‘the giant crop”, in order to make it a major foreign exchange earner.
Kenneth Nwosu, Executive Director of NRCRl, says that Nigeria is the leading producer of cocoyam in the whole world, with an annual production of 4.5 million metric tonnes.
According to him, cocoyam is a big delicacy to many households, within and outside the country, especially as it is eaten by low income earners.
At a stakeholders’ forum recently, where the crops’ growers, NRCRl officials and other agriculturists brainstormed on cocoyam’ s development, it came to light that a disease threatened its continuous cultivation in the country.
Experts expressed alarm that the crop was on the verge of extinction because of the outbreak of cocoyam leaf blight, which could entirely wipe out the crop in the country, if not urgently checked.
Nwosu told the stunned audience that the pandemic had caught up with a number of farms in Abia, Imo, Enugu and Benue States, adding that countries like Togo, Ghana and Cameroon had been affected as well.
He said that the pandemic had turned into a sub-regional problem, which needed effective collaboration of countries in the West African sub-region and beyond to tackle.
“We are in for a big challenge; the crop is on the verge of extinction following the outbreak of cocoyam leaf blight. If unchecked, the disease could lead to a 100 per cent loss to the crop’s growers.
“Cocoyam is a veritable source of income to our rural farmers but it is on the verge of extinction,” he said.
Nwosu said that the Cameroonian authorities had written to Nigeria, complaining about the outbreak of this disease in their farms, adding that the development hastened NRCRI to convene the stakeholders’ meeting.
Even though this disease is peculiar to cocoyam now, it can affect other crops if not properly checked and that is why we have to do something fast to avert the situation.
“If we are talking of food security, all food crops need to be brought into view because when the pressure is on cocoyam, other food crops could also be affected,” he said.
Joseph Onyeka, Head of the Pathology Unit of NRCRI, identified the fungus, Phytophthora . colocasiae, as the causal agent of the ravaging disease.
He said it would take less than a fortnight for an entire cocoyam field to be completely ravaged, thus leading to massive defoliation and death of the crops.
Onyeka said that the major challenge facing NRCRI was how to verify if the disease was restricted to Colocasiae, all genotypes, or to only one species of Colocasiae.
He stressed that a viable control measure was to generate new breeds of cocoyam and distribute them to the farmers.
Onyeka, however, admitted that the crop was difficult to breed, as “we do not have cocoyam breeders at the moment”.
He aid that the situation posed a problem for now, as the use of excessive fungicides to check the spread of the disease could cause the organisms to mutate, just as they could pose danger to the environment.
“If we apply ‘roughing’, which means uprooting and destroying the affected crops; that could wipe out the entire crops,” Onyeka said.
Mr. Godwin Chukwu, Coordinator of the Cocoyam Research Programme, moaned that the disease attacked the most cherished species of cocoyam.
“This NCe 001, otherwise known as the Coco India, can be eaten in any form but NRCRI, in collaboration with Kolping Society of Nigeria, attempted to salvage the situation by spraying some cocoyam fields in Arochukwu and Ohafia in Abia State; and Isiala Mbano in Imo state.
“We equally planted the species in the dry season to see if planting between December and January will solve the problem.
“We also applied a recommended dose of ‘Super Gro’, which is an organic liquid fertilizer with versatility of uses; yet, there was no positive result,” he said.
Nwosu stressed that the situation called for urgent intervention by the Federal Government, so as to prevent the obliteration of the NCe 001 species of cocoyam that was mostly affected.
Furthermore, he called on the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in the respective states to be alive to their responsibilities by collaborating with NRCRI to enable us “to transfer the new technologies needed to address the problem.
“Thelong-term measure will be to avail them materials with high resistance to the disease and that is expensive, as it involves bio-technology,” Nwosu said.
Damilola Eniaiyeju, the Deputy Director (Crop Production), Federal Ministry of Agriculture, said that the Federal Government was concerned about the prevalence of the cocoyam disease, as it was threatening crops’ production in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
He commended NRCRI for the steps so far taken to curtail the disease and expressed hope that a mal solution would soon be found.
“We are looking forward to long and short-term solutions, all within the next three years, so as to put smiles on the faces of our farmers,” Eniaiyeju said.
I said and done, the Cocoyam Rebirth Initiative is on the way of boosting food security in the country. metheless, the challenges currently facing the initiative should be decisively addressed by all stakeholders in the agricultural sector, so” as to ensure continued production of the cocoyam in Nigeria.
Acha writes for NAN
Emmanuel Acha
The President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, has called for urgent agricultural reforms and stronger support for farmers to improve food security in the country.
Uwaleke made the call in an interview with Newsmen Wednesday while reacting to the United Nations projection that millions of Nigerians could face acute hunger in the coming months.
The United Nations Humanitarian Country Team had warned that about 35 million Nigerians could face acute food insecurity between June and August.
According to the organisation, nearly one in seven Nigerians may experience severe food shortages during the 2026 lean season.
Uwaleke said the projection underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to strengthen its food production systems and address factors driving food insecurity.
“The warning should be taken seriously because it reflects the difficult realities many Nigerians are already experiencing, especially vulnerable households.
“A projection of about 35 million people facing acute hunger is disturbing for a country with enormous agricultural potential,” he said.
He attributed worsening food insecurity to inflation, insecurity in farming communities, climate-related challenges, naira depreciation and high transportation costs.
According to him, the combined effects of fuel subsidy removal and declining purchasing power have further reduced access to food for many Nigerians.
Uwaleke said the situation required immediate and coordinated interventions to prevent a deeper humanitarian crisis.
“The lean season is usually difficult, but the scale being projected by the United Nations suggests the need for urgent action from both government and development partners,” he said.
He acknowledged recent government measures aimed at improving food supply, including food imports and tariff reductions on selected commodities such as rice and palm oil.
He, however, said the interventions might not yield the desired results without stronger investments in local agricultural production and improved security for farmers.
“I believe the government has made efforts to address the situation, particularly through policies aimed at boosting food availability.
However, insecurity continues to disrupt farming activities in major food-producing areas, while inflation and weak purchasing power remain major concerns for ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
Uwaleke urged the Federal Government to increase support for farmers through subsidies on fertilisers, improved seedlings and other agricultural inputs ahead of the peak farming season.
He also stressed the need to improve security in farming communities to enable displaced farmers to return safely to their farms.
According to him, targeted food distribution programmes should be expanded to support vulnerable households across the country
Uwaleke further called for long-term investments in irrigation, mechanisation, storage facilities, rural infrastructure and agricultural research to strengthen food security.
He added that food security should be treated as both an economic and national security priority requiring sustained policy implementation and adequate funding.
Agriculture
Livestock Minister Reaffirms Commitment To Integrating Apiculture Development Into NL-GAS
The Minister made this known in a keynote address at the World Bee Day 2026 celebration, held in Abuja, where he emphasised that the livestock value chain can be significantly transformed through targeted investments, innovation, private sector participation, youth empowerment, and inclusive economic growth.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, said the Ministry remains committed to strengthening interventions aimed at improving the apiculture subsector, promoting sustainable beekeeping practices, enhancing production standards, expanding market access, and protecting pollinator habitats across the country.
The Director of Ruminants and Monogastric, Mr. Victor Egbon, representshe also commended the Youth for Agriculture Initiative (YFAI) for its sustained partnership and commitment to the annual commemoration of World Bee Day.
In a goodwill message, the representative of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Osas Isokponomu, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting policies and programmes that promote value addition, industrialisation, export competitiveness, and market integration within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Earlier in his opening address, the President of the Youth for Apiculture Initiative (YFAI), Mr. Kingsley Nwagwu, called for the establishment of a National Apiculture Policy as a foundation for unlocking Nigeria’s emerging apiculture economy.
Participants at the event were drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, stakeholders, students, academia, research institutions, and development partners.
According to a statement, President of the AFBTE, Chinedum Okereke, gave the warning during the association’s 47th Annual General Meeting held recently in Lagos.
He stated that the food and beverage industry remained a critical pillar of the Nigerian economy because of its significant contributions to employment, public health, and economic growth, adding that government policies should support the sector rather than weaken it.
Okereke noted that many companies in the industry are struggling with rising operational costs and multiple taxes and charges imposed by government agencies without adequate consultation.
“The food and beverage sector remains a major player in the Nigerian economy in terms of its criticality to the financial and physical health of the nation, as well as the well-being of the people. Government support is therefore imperative,” Okereke said.
He added that the relationship between government institutions and businesses should be driven by collaboration, dialogue, and fairness to create a sustainable business environment.
The AFBTE chief also renewed the association’s opposition to the proposed ban on the packaging and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small PET bottles, warning that the policy could worsen unemployment, reduce investment, and shrink government revenue.
“We are in the age of data and analytics Policies that affect businesses and livelihoods should be evidence-based,” Okereke said.
He noted that the industry had repeatedly demanded empirical evidence and statistical data to justify the proposed ban but claimed relevant authorities had yet to provide such information.
The AFBTE president further appealed to the Federal Government to introduce incentives and relief packages for manufacturers battling rising production costs, foreign exchange challenges and infrastructure deficits.
He also advocated the creation of more Free Trade Zones through the upgrade of existing industrial clusters, especially for long-established companies that have contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economic development but now face disadvantages compared to firms operating within free trade zones.
He observed that the absence of dialogue between the government and the private sector often creates avoidable disputes and weakens investor confidence.
Okereke added that the objectives of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council should remain a guiding principle for regulators and government agencies in promoting ease of doing business in the country.
Meanwhile, the Treasurer of AFBTE, Osaro Omogiade, disclosed that the association recorded a total income of N165.45m for the 2025 financial year, representing a 10.13 per cent increase from the N150.24m generated in 2024.
He attributed the increase largely to improved returns on investments in the money market through Stanbic IBTC and United Capital.
Omogiade, however, noted that the association’s expenditure rose by 14.22 per cent to N138.25m due to the increasing cost of running its secretariat, leaving a surplus of N27.21m compared to N29.19m recorded in the previous year.
