ZARIA- The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, has urged the government to make agricultural inputs to local farmers affordable by reducing their cost.
Prof. Ado Yusuf, Executive Director of the Institute made the appeal during the 2025 Annual Review and Planning Meeting in Zaria on Thursday.
Yusuf said that such action would help local farmers upscale their productivity and reduce food importation.
He noted that Nigeria local farmers were thriving in spite of the influx of imported food products in the country.
He added that Nigeria was a net importer of food which means that the country’s food production was less than its need.
”But the food importation must be regulated by the government; for instance, we know our demands so if we know our demand then we should have a targeted supply so that we don’t have excess,’’ he said.
The executive director noted that the prices of agricultural products have dropped compared to what was obtained in 2024.
”That is not to say however that farmers are not making profit,” he said.
He added that he was an advocate of farmers making profit from agriculture, explaining that such profit should not be excessive such that the common man could not afford foods on their table.
Yusuf advised peasant and small scale farmers not to exercise fears over importation of farm produce into Nigeria, as what the nation was producing was not only for the country.
According to him, Nigeria exports farm produce to the neighboring countries therefore there is market for the produce.
He re-echoed the urgent need for deliberate interventions on inputs.
According to him if the costs of inputs are so high many farmers will not be able to afford it and they will be out of business and cannot produce and this may lead to hunger.
He disclosed that the institute since its establishment in 1922 had grown into one of Nigeria’s foremost national research institutes with mandate on Sorghum, maize, cowpea groundnut, cotton castor, jatropa, sunflower and artemisia.
According to him, as at 2025 the institute was undertaking over 180 research projects and introduced 32 prioritised activities towards improving the livelihood of Nigerian farmers.
Earlier, Prof. Kabiru Bala, Vice-Chancellor of ABU and Chairman on the occasion, said the theme of the event “Advancing agricultural Innovation for food security and Economic Prosperity: Aligning research with new hope agenda’’ was apt.
He also appealed to key stakeholders in the sector for improved funding of research activities in order for improvement in food production, job creation and national security. (NAN)
