The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling food shortages and high unemployment through agriculture and livestock development.

Livestock development minister Idi Maiha made the statement at the second International Conference of Agrifood Systems Stakeholders Forum at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) on Monday.

The forum, organised by the Agricultural Policy Research Network (APRNet), focused on solutions to food insecurity, poverty and youth unemployment in the country.

Mr Maiha commended APRNet for organising the conference. He called for continued collaboration between stakeholders to advance agriculture and urged relevant stakeholders to support the government’s coordinated national livestock development agenda.

According to him, the initiative will boost agricultural productivity, create jobs, and restore citizens’ confidence in the sector.

Mr Maiha acknowledged challenges limiting the sector’s growth, saying the federal government was addressing them through improved access to skills, finance, infrastructure and markets.

“Our agrifood systems are under growing pressure from climate variability, flooding, drought, land degradation and rising input costs,” he said.

He identified animal diseases, post-harvest losses, weak market linkages and limited access to finance as other challenges affecting producers and consumers.

“Within these challenges lies a compelling opportunity to build agrifood systems that are more productive, inclusive and climate-resilient, while creating decent jobs for women and young people,” he said.

The minister said the livestock value chain offered huge opportunities across various businesses, including feed production, hatcheries and dairy collection.

He further said that animal health services, storage, processing, logistics, and waste-to-wealth enterprises remained viable investment opportunities waiting to be fully harnessed.

UNIPORT vice-chancellor Princewill Chike described agriculture as a major solution to brain drain and youth migration. Mr Chike said migration had continued to accelerate brain drain, thereby slowing economic growth across Africa.

“The government and policymakers must make agriculture more attractive to youths to address the japa syndrome,” he said.

The vice-chancellor commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for prioritising agriculture, and called for sustainability in agricultural policies.

Anthony Onoja, APRNet president and conference coordinator, thanked partners for their collaboration in organising the conference.

Mr Onoja, a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management (UNIPORT), called for stronger collaboration to tackle food insecurity and youth unemployment. He said the conference was designed to combine academic knowledge and policy-based solutions to address hunger and poverty.

“This meeting is expected to provide sustainable solutions to low farm productivity, build resilience against rising climate issues and address conflict in the country,” Mr Onoja said.

(NAN)