The Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, will soon establish demonstration farms in the six geo-political zones in the country. This was disclosed by Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, the president of the NSE at the Society’s Manchester Branch, Northern Powerhouse Stakeholders’ Event, Maiden Engr. Ademola Olorunfemi Public Discourse and Dinner held on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Manchester. To be established along with the farms are engineering villages, a plan she said would give engineers the opportunity to apply their expertise in mechanized farming, irrigation systems, and sustainable agricultural practices. She was speaking on the topic: “Achieving Food Security in Nigeria with Diaspora Engagement”.
Engineer Oguntala expressed the confidence that the hubs will centralize cutting-edge equipment for optimal resource use, even as they would serve as innovation incubators where new agricultural technologies can be developed and tested.
She said, “Furthermore, through workshops and mentorship programs at our Entrepreneurship Fairs, we seek to foster collaboration between emerging and senior agricultural entrepreneurs. Our goal is to attract funding partners from key government parastatals like Bank of Industry (BOI) and Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIMBANK), ensuring our members can scale their agri-businesses, thus driving economic empowerment and food security for Nigeria.”While stating that the goal of the NSE is to support food security initiatives in the country, the NSE president said, “We recognize the leading role of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the various initiatives by the State Governments in this regard, particularly, efforts at developing sustainable solutions for Nigeria’s food systems.
“On Friday, July 4, 2024, I led our team to pay an official visit to the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security; discourses at the meeting were centered on boosting production along the food value chain. As a step forward we made a passionate appeal for our government to strengthen and patronize our vital companies and public institutions like the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Steyr Nigeria Ltd, Niji Lukas the agricultural equipment manufacturers, and the Agricultural & Equipment Fabrication Association of Nigeria (AMEFAN), for our farmers to maximize their expertise as far as agricultural activities are concerned.”
The NSE president said members of the society are well equipped to give necessary engineering backing for Nigeria to achieve food security. Hear her: “The Nigerian Society of Engineers strategic agenda includes a robust Agricultural Entrepreneurship Development Programme which has been designed to enhance the agricultural sector’s productivity and innovation. By equipping our Engineers with entrepreneurial skills, we aim to revolutionise agri-businesses through advanced engineering solutions”.
By doing this the NSE would be contributing to efforts to solve the anomalies that its leadership identified in the agriculture sector, which is that we suffer food insecurity principally because, according to her, Nigerian farmers are inefficient in their practice, even as they have to contend with challenges like inadequate infrastructure, climate change and insecurity.
The NSE president who said food security is not merely about the availability of food, said it encompassed accessibility, affordability, and the quality of food necessary for a healthy life. She, however, expressed regrets that “In Nigeria, despite our rich agricultural heritage, we face numerous challenges, including inefficient farming practices, inadequate infrastructure, and climate change impacts, and lately security issue has appeared a threat to our food security.” The good news is that she does not believe that giving up is an option. That is why the NSE is throwing its weight behind the government in the task to solve the food insecurity issue. In this wise, Oguntala says Nigeria’s sons and daughters abroad can do a lot to give support. She told his audience, “Our Diaspora community possesses vast knowledge, skills, and resources. I strongly believe that the engagement of Diaspora professionals can bridge the gap of our local need”.
The NSE, she said, would not stop at that. It would also make the point about the contribution of the engineer to food security at the national conference scheduled to hold between November 18th and 24th 2024. The theme for this year’s conference, she said, is “Sustainable Engineering Solutions to Food Security and Climate Change”.
Oguntala said expected to attend the conference are over 6,000 practising engineers in the academia and industry, as well as other development stakeholders, policy formulators, captains of industry and entrepreneurs, especially in the oil and gas Industry and Food Security value chain from across Nigeria and other parts of the World.