Abuja agriculture students receive food security grants

Twenty-five final-year students from the University of Abuja's Faculty of Agriculture have received research grants totaling N3.211 million. The grants are part of the Nigeria Food Security Scholars Programme, an initiative by the Nigerian Food Security Project. This program aims to foster research-driven solutions to Nigeria's food security issues.

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We strongly believe in the value of research and want to ensure that research emerging from academic institutions is grounded in the realities of food security challenges. Our goal is to encourage students to align their projects with practical solutions that can contribute to addressing food security issues. We are committed to funding and scaling solutions that are commercially viable.

The beneficiaries will focus their research on critical areas such as agricultural supply chains, climate resilience, post-harvest loss reduction, and sustainable food systems. The initiative seeks to ensure that academic research directly addresses real-world food security challenges. The Nigerian Food Security Project is committed to funding and scaling commercially viable solutions.

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The primary goal of the initiative is to address food insecurity in Nigeria through research. We were asked to select 25 outstanding students who would receive support to research food security issues, including women and youth participation in agriculture and post-harvest loss reduction.

Professor Akeem Oyerinde, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, highlighted that the program aligns with broader efforts to combat food insecurity through research and innovation. He noted the importance of selecting students whose projects could contribute to reducing post-harvest losses and increasing women and youth participation in agriculture. The students will work under faculty supervisors and participate in quarterly coaching sessions.

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This is the first time that this has happened in the university. The support is highly impactful on both the students and the institution. Our goal is to produce agricultural professionals who can drive innovation and contribute to solving food insecurity challenges.