Agricultural Experts Demand Structural Value Chain Overhaul to Combat Looming Food Insecurity and Rising Inflation

Nigerian agribusiness stakeholders call for urgent reforms in mechanization, irrigation, and local processing to secure the food supply and end export poverty.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 20, 2026, 4:39 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Daily Independent

Shifting Beyond Traditional Production Targets

The Nigerian agricultural landscape is at a critical crossroads where the mere expansion of cultivated land is no longer sufficient to ensure national food security. Industry experts argue that the historical focus on seasonal production must be replaced by a comprehensive structural reform of the entire value chain. According to Oyewole Okewole, Senior Associate Consultant at FutuX Agri-consult Limited, the current year presents a vital window to address the systemic challenges that have previously crippled high value agricultural sectors. He suggests that the focus must transition from simple harvest targets to sophisticated post-harvest handling, including advanced storage and supply chain logistics designed to curb waste and bolster rural incomes.

Modernizing Production Through Accessible Mechanization

A significant barrier to scaling agricultural output remains the fragmented nature of farming equipment and production systems. Anibe Achimugu, President of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria, posits that the industry must fundamentally rethink how it approaches technology. He argues that mechanization should not be viewed through the lens of individual ownership, which is often financially unattainable for smallholders, but as an accessible service. By establishing zonal mechanization centers equipped with trained operators, agronomists, and maintenance facilities, the sector can deploy innovative service models that allow farmers to leverage modern tools without the burden of heavy capital expenditure.

Transitioning to Year Round Irrigation Systems

The traditional dependence on erratic rainfall patterns continues to leave the Nigerian food supply vulnerable to environmental shocks. To build a more resilient system, stakeholders are advocating for a deliberate move toward all year farming through the expansion of irrigation and dry season cultivation. Achimugu notes that increasing dry season outputs for both staple and cash crops is essential for stabilizing the national food supply. This sentiment is echoed by Adebowale Onafowora, Managing Director of BIC Farms Concept, who calls for the institutionalization of dry season surveys and the scaling of decentralized irrigation and greenhouse technologies to insulate the sector from climate volatility.