Obasanjo: Innovation in agric key to human survival, development

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Nigeria’s survival and development depend on agriculture, says former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Obasanjo spoke in his address as Chairman at the AgriConnect Summit held in Lagos recently with the theme: ”Bridging the Divide: Cultivating Collaboration and Innovation for a Sustainable Agricultural Future.”

Obasanjo said, “Innovation is very important. Land is important. But without money, your land is useless. You cannot do agricultural business without money and innovation.”

The former Nigerian leader commended research institutes in Africa and globally, advocating for mentorship programs to encourage young farmers.

Obasanjo narrated how he persuaded one of his sons, a PhD graduate from the University of Cambridge, to take up farming.

The event, which was organised in collaboration with Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited, was aimed to foster a unified approach to agricultural development.

The summit brought together leaders from technology, finance, government, developmental organizations, and agriculture to devise actionable strategies to enhance food security in Nigeria.

Meka Nwabuko, Managing Director of Prime Agro Seeds Limited, highlighted the role of technology in transforming agriculture and the importance of collaboration.

He noted that smallholder farmers are central to food production, face numerous challenges that can be effectively addressed through cluster farming and cooperatives.

Nwabuko emphasized the advantages of cluster farming, stating that ”support in terms of inputs, finance, technology, knowledge, and market access can be more effectively deployed and managed within cluster models compared to individual farmers.”

He also stressed on the importance of enabling government policies, citing the Plant Variety Protection Act as a significant legal framework that supports the intellectual property of foreign investors and accelerates agricultural progress.