Unizik Don Advocates Revival Of Indigenous Crops To Tackle Food Insecurity
A senior lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Ogechukwu Umeh, has called for urgent attention to underutilised indigenous crops as a sustainable solution to food insecurity in South-East Nigeria.
Delivering the third “Faculty Young Geniuses Lecture” at the university’s Faculty of Agriculture, Dr Umeh lamented the gradual abandonment of traditional crops that once sustained the region.
In her lecture titled “Improving Under-utilised Crops in South-Eastern Nigeria: A Panacea for Food Security,” she highlighted the nutritional, medicinal, and economic benefits of these forgotten foods.
“Our ancestors thrived on these local crops and lived long, healthy lives. Today, imported and genetically modified foods are displacing them, and we are seeing the consequences in rising health issues and food dependence,” she said.
Dr Umeh advocated for the establishment of a seed bank to preserve genetic diversity, urged universities to promote indigenous food through restaurants and conferences, and called for increased research and public awareness campaigns involving NGOs, faith-based groups, and cooperatives.
Representing the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Joseph Ikechebelu, the Director of Academic Planning, Prof Angela Ufele-Obiesie, praised the faculty’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s food challenges.
Dean of the Faculty, Prof Cordelia Ebenebe, described Dr Umeh as one of the young geniuses helping to reshape agricultural discourse in the region.
The event, attended by academics, politicians, and students, also featured awards for academic excellence and a scholarship donation by Hon Ikechukwu Umeh to a standout student from the Department of Crop Science and Horticulture.
It will be recalled that Farmers Support Initiative, FSI, had led the advocacy for the establishment of indigenous or organic crops bank in the past.
