Stakeholders in agriculture, research and food regulation have called for stronger food safety measures, improved processing and technology-driven farming to tackle hunger and strengthen Nigeria’s food systems.
They made the call at a conference organised by the Hope for Life Initiative (HFLI), in partnership with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), in Lagos to commemorate the 2026 World Food Day.
The 2026 World Food Day was marked under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”.
The conference focused on improving food safety, promoting innovation and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders to enhance food security.
The convener and Executive Director of HFLI, Mr Kendi Aig-Imoru, said the initiative’s collaboration with other organisations aimed at tackling hunger and ensuring families could access sufficient food.
He said the initiative was promoting awareness and expanding community-based interventions to ensure lasting impact.
“Our key focus is zero hunger, ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry and that families can feed themselves.
“Even in your small garden, grow something that can provide food,” he said.
Aig-Imoru stressed the need to recognise the contributions of women farmers, describing them as vital to food production and household nutrition.
He said partnerships among farmers, government agencies, research institutions and private organisations were essential to achieving food security.
“We need to celebrate what women and farmers are doing because Nigerian farmers are resilient.
“For us to achieve zero hunger, we have to partner with one another and collaborate,” he said.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), represented by Mr Jangnan Amos, a Regulatory Officer at the agency, urged farmers and food processors to adhere to international best practices to guarantee food safety.
Adeyeye said the agency had introduced digital platforms to simplify product registration, improve regulatory services and facilitate compliance among businesses.
She cited the NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS), which has made product registration easier through an online process.
She also highlighted the agency’s digital regulatory information management services and the Post-inspection Data Capture and Risk Management System (PCAMS), which supports regulatory processes involving imported products.
According to her, such innovations are intended to improve regulatory efficiency and support the availability of safe food products.
“We need to build a food system where every producer takes care, every regulator acts with purpose, every consumer is informed, and every innovation serves the public good,” she said.
Also speaking, Mr Yen Choi, President of Netcom Africa and Board Member of Ignitia, emphasised the role of technology in helping farmers improve productivity, manage risks and protect their investments.
Choi said agricultural technology should address practical challenges confronting farmers rather than focus solely on gadgets and digital applications.
He identified accurate weather forecasts as particularly important for determining planting periods, organising labour, planning transportation and storage, and improving farmers’ earnings.
He said Ignitia provided weather forecasting information to farmers in Nigeria, enabling them to prepare for changing weather conditions.
“We cannot control the weather, but we can prepare for it.
“When we talk about innovation, we should begin with the farmer’s problems, not the technology. The most important word is useful,” he said.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Regional Coordinator for the South-West, Mr Benedict Itegbe, represented by Mr Temitope Hassan, urged farmers and agro-processors to meet required standards to improve the export potential of Nigerian agricultural products.
He said the council remained committed to supporting exporters and promoting innovation to strengthen food security and diversify the national economy.
Mr Adeola Akanbi, a research officer at FIIRO, said achieving food security and improving nutrition required collaboration among research institutions, government agencies, industry, development organisations and communities.
Akanbi identified post-harvest losses, inadequate processing capacity and the rising cost of nutritious food as challenges affecting Nigeria’s food systems.
He said science, technology, innovation and strategic partnerships were needed to maximise the value of agricultural produce and improve access to affordable, nutritious food.
He added that FIIRO was promoting food processing, preservation, product development and technology transfer to transform locally available raw materials into valuable products.
“Research must translate into practical solutions that improve lives.
“By supporting local food processing, reducing food losses and promoting affordable nutritious food products, we can contribute to a more resilient food system and improve nutritional outcomes for Nigerians,” he said.
