An agronomist, Dr Sabitu Sulaiman, has urged Nigerians to embrace backyard farming to reduce household food costs and strengthen food security.
Sulaiman, Managing Director of Dama Farms, Maiduguri, made the call in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Maiduguri.
He said backyard farming should be viewed as a practical household economic activity rather than merely a hobby.
According to him, households with limited space can grow vegetables such as pepper, tomatoes, okra, spinach and onions.
He said households with larger spaces could also engage in poultry, rabbit and other small livestock production.
Sulaiman said producing part of household food requirements would reduce dependence on markets and generate savings over time.
He noted that urban households were particularly vulnerable to food price shocks because of their heavy reliance on purchased food.
The agronomist cited an analysis indicating that the median rural household produced about 35 per cent of its food at home, compared with about five per cent among urban households.
He said the disparity showed the potential for urban households to contribute to food security by converting available spaces into productive gardens.
Sulaiman also identified backyard farming as an opportunity for women and young people to generate income, especially amid unemployment and underemployment.
He said surplus produce could be sold to neighbours, restaurants and local markets.
He, however, stressed that backyard farming should complement, rather than replace, decent employment and commercial agriculture.
Sulaiman urged governments to strengthen extension services and improve access to quality seeds, technical knowledge, water-efficient technologies and microfinance.
He also recommended container and sack farming, raised beds and drip irrigation, especially in water-stressed communities in Northern Nigeria.
The expert called for greater acceptance of household and urban farming in homes, schools and communities.
He said producing even a fraction of household food requirements on a large scale could significantly improve food security and strengthen economic resilience.
