By Peter Okolie

Prof. Christopher Eze, Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES), Umuagwo, Imo, has advocated the adoption of agroecology to boost food production and ensure national food security.

Eze made the call at a one-day sensitisation workshop on MSc Agroecology and Food System programme at the institution’s campus in Umuagwo near Owerri on Friday.

The Vice Chancellor said embracing smart agriculture and modern farming techniques would enhance crop yields and improve the country’s agricultural sector.

He said Nigeria and West Africa’s horticulture and forests are faced with challenges like low soil fertilities, nutrient deficiencies, weed pressure, irrigation system and salination, pest and disease, among others.

“Agroecology practices can help overcome these issues and optimise nutrients and carbon balance, improving soil fertility, aggregate stability, water holding capacity, organic matter nutrient availability and PH regulation in a most harmless manner to the soil.

“Our farming system needs a comprehensive resetting, incorporating animal manure management, mulch forage legumes to improve crop yields and address challenges like soils erosion, climate change and biodiversity losses,” he noted.

Eze said an MSc in Agroecology would not only improve quality of food and lives, but would provide agricultural stakeholders with knowledge, skills and competencies in the field of agroecological approaches and advanced technologies in the agricultural system.

He commended the Visitor of the University and Governor of Imo, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, for his visionary leadership, foresight and unparalleled support to the institution over the years.

He said the university which was established in 2020 had gained international collaborations resulting in two European Union (EU) funded projects in the university – the Digital Solution to Agriculture (DIGISOL) and the Agrecofarm project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Prof. Emmanuel Onweremadu, delivered a keynote paper entitled “Innovation in AgrecoFarm: A sine qua non for food security, environmental sustainability and land degradation neutrality,” at the occasion.

Onweremadu, a professor of soil science and technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, stated that land, population, poverty, and environmental degradation are linked to food insecurity, reduced nutritional value, and biodiversity decline.

He further expressed concerns over the alarming rate of physical, chemical and biological degradation affecting tropical soils in the country, calling for a reverse of the situation for improved and quality food production.

Speaking on an “Overview of the MSc Agroecology and Food Systems programme” at the university, Prof. Rose Nwabueze, said the programme was developed under the Agrecofarm project.

Nwabueze said Agrecofarm project was co-founded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union Commission.

According to her, the project is funding capacity building in higher education institutions in three West African countries – Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

“The core idea is to engage in applied research in agroecology techniques for sustainable agricultural productions, reset farming system, and create environmentally friendly farming system that benefits people and the planet,” she noted.

NAN further reports that a third paper entitled “Career Path in Agroecology: A roadmap to sustainable agriculture and food security,” was delivered by Prof. Anthony Onyekuru from the university.

The International Coordinator of the programme, Prof. Pietro Picuno, who joined the workshop virtually, expressed optimism that the programme would ensure the survival of agricultural projects and help improve agricultural techniques in Nigeria and West Africa.

In an interview, the Coordinator of the programme in the institution, Dr Vitus Enwerem, said the programme is aimed at boosting governments’ efforts at sustainable food security in the country.

“The programme is introducing sustainable good agronomic practices not just for students to benefit but for rural farmers and farmer associations to equally improve their yields.

“The way population is exploding, we need to equally take care of the environment or risk destroying our soil health.

“We are calling on students to enroll in the programme as there are lots of prospects including self-employment after study,” Enwerem, who is also the Associate Dean of the Postgraduate School of the university, stated. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz