World Hunger Day: AFAN emphasize the need to attract young people to argriculture

The National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Kabiru Ibrahim, has emphasized the need to attract young people to the agricultural sector by introducing biotechnology and making farming more engaging.

He made the emphasis as Nigerians celebrated World Hunger Day, May 28, with the aim of honoring and recognizing the hard work of farmers in ensuring food security across the country.

He expressed the belief that traditional farming methods involving manual tools should be left behind, and that the use of modern technologies, such as jet spraying and improved seedlings, is what farmers need to increase their income.

He encouraged all farmers to embrace biotechnology as a pathway out of poverty and as a means to combat hunger and malnutrition.

The National Farmers Day took place alongside the World Hunger Day dinner, organized by the Alliance for Science in partnership with the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa.

The program was facilitated by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the Director General of NABDA, explained that the objective was to raise awareness about the global issue of hunger and food insecurity, which impacts millions of people. He emphasized the importance of supporting smallholder farmers who employ biotechnology and scientific innovations to cultivate crops and improve seedlings as a means to address hunger and malnutrition.

The Farmers Day campaign aimed to showcase the role of agricultural biotechnology in ending hunger within our lifetime, particularly in the Global South.

Prof. Mustapha also highlighted the devastating impact of malnutrition, which is a leading cause of death for children under the age of 5. He noted that approximately 45% of child deaths are attributed to malnutrition. Africa, in particular, is heavily affected by hunger, with over 250 million people experiencing undernourishment.

Dr. Rose Gidado, the Coordinator of OFAB, explained that World Hunger Day was initiated by the Hunger Project in 2011 to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity worldwide. She emphasized the potential of biotechnology to reduce hunger, address malnutrition, and promote sustainable agricultural practices, thereby supporting government initiatives in achieving food and nutritional security.