Don advocates inter cropping towards achieving Nigeria's food sufficiency.

Towards attaining food sufficiency in Nigeria, a University Don, Prof.

Enejo Simon Attah, Professor of Crop Production, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, has advocated inter cropping and the need for Agriculture to be made more interesting and productive. 

This he disclosed can be consciously achieved by investing in land, technology and the 

human elements that drive innovations in agriculture.

The Professor of Crop Production made the disclosure during the 12th inaugural lecture of the University with the topic, inter cropping: That there may be enough food, 

especially at the level of the peasant farmers who constitute about 90% of the labour force in the sector and who produce the 

bulk of what is consumed in this country. 

Prof. Enejoh called on Government to as a matter of 

priority, re-establish the commodity boards to serve as sales 

point for the farmers’ produce, pointing out that this will help reduce or eliminate the activities of middlemen in the 

country with farmers getting fair share of their labour.

Similarly, the University Don urged for deliberate diversification of crop intensification in small-scale production to increase yield levels and improve the nutrition status of the people.

He called for the encouragement and participation of youths in agricultural activities, said a lot of young people see agriculture as tiresome 

and a profession that gets their hands dirty. 

He however said with 

mechanisation and intensification, more people particularly the young people will be 

attracted into the sector, thus helping to reduce the problem 

of ageing farm workers, youth unemployment, increased food 

production and increased foreign exchange earnings from exports. 

He called on Government and other interest groups (States and Federal 

Ministries of Agriculture, Non-governmental Organisations, 

Universities, and the National Universities Commission etc) to support the training and empowerment of people who 

are genuinely interested in agriculture, to be future farmers in 

Nigeria. 

He called on Universities and Faculties of 

Agriculture to set up agricultural enterprises that are 

business and profit oriented for students to engage in as work in the course of their studies.

Prof. Enejoh identified a number of challenges that have

inhibited  effective agricultural policies and strategies in the 

country, mentioned unstable and inconsistent policies,

poor educational background of peasant farmers and  

low usage of agrochemicals like fertilizers which greatly hampers 

production. 

Furthermore, he listed the unwillingness of young men to take to farming, corruption and associated practices and climate change.

In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, Prof. Marietu Tenuche Ohunene, described the topic of discuss as apt, pointing out that the need for food sufficiency in the country and in view of the food shortage being experienced in the Country, calls for innovation.