Abubakar Kyari, the agriculture and food security minister, has called for increased investment in plant breeding innovations, agricultural research, and institutional partnerships to achieve food security.

He made the call in his address at the opening of the fourth International Conference of the Nigerian Plant Breeders Association on Wednesday in Abuja.

The minister said Nigeria’s food security challenges require responsive science, purposeful partnerships, sustained investment, and innovations that can move from research centres to farmers and markets.

“Plant breeding is a foundational part of that effort, and its greatest value will be realised when scientific excellence is connected to functioning markets, farmers’ needs, resilient supply chains and opportunities for investment,” he said.

He said scientific crop improvement would only achieve its full value when innovations moved beyond laboratories and research plots into farmers’ fields, markets and processing facilities.

“The development and deployment of improved crop varieties for both optimum and stress environments is therefore an important component of a resilient food system,” he said.

According to him, farmers need varieties and production technologies that can perform under different stresses while maintaining productivity, quality and market relevance.

He said this required strong seed systems, effective extension services, financing, market access, supportive regulation and greater private-sector participation.

“This includes improving links between research institutions and agribusiness investors, strengthening seed multiplication and dissemination, supporting intellectual property and technology transfer arrangements, and creating clearer routes through which promising innovations can reach farmers at scale,” he said.

The minister said the Research Innovation Exhibition at the conference would let research and development institutions showcase innovations, including officially released crop varieties, while engaging investors and other technology users.

According to him, such platforms can help translate scientific knowledge into partnerships, enterprises, jobs and measurable productivity gains.

Mr Kyari, however, stressed that no single institution could transform the agrifood system alone, noting that government, research institutions, universities, seed companies, agribusinesses, financial institutions, development partners and farmers all had complementary roles to play.

He urged participants to use the conference to identify practical collaborations, investment opportunities and policy actions that could extend beyond the event.

The minister also called for stronger South-South and other international collaborations while building Nigerian capacity and institutions in agricultural research and innovation. According to him, the participation of scientists and stakeholders from Nigeria, Africa, and other parts of the world will create opportunities to share evidence, technologies, and lessons that could be adapted to local conditions.

Mr Kyari commended the NPBA for sustaining its conference platform and engagement with public institutions, saying plant breeding remained important to discussions on food security, agribusiness, economic development and livelihoods.

NPBA’s president, Victor Adetimirin, said the association was committed to advancing plant breeding as a critical component of agricultural development and national food security.

Mr Adetimirin said the association brought together plant breeders and professionals involved in crop improvement, including geneticists, biotechnologists and seed scientists, to promote scientific exchange, professional development, collaboration and advocacy.

He said the conference allowed researchers, seed companies, farmers, processors, financial institutions, development partners, investors and government representatives to build partnerships that can translate scientific innovations into products and enterprises.

(NAN)