Mountain Top University emphasized the importance of continuous practical research to address food production challenges in Nigeria. Dr. Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director-General of Partnership for Development at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), highlighted this during the eighth distinguished lecture series at MTU titled “Implication of Linkages in Research and National Development and Food Security: The IITA Experience.”
Dashiell stressed the need for research to extend beyond institutes and directly address real problems in food production. He emphasized that once scientists develop innovations, they should collaborate with the government and private sector to disseminate these solutions to millions of people across the country.
Regarding government initiatives, Dashiell praised programs like special agriculture processing zones aimed at improving infrastructure for agricultural processing and production. He also called for attention to insecurity, which poses significant challenges to farmers’ ability to work peacefully.
MTU’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Elijah Ayolabi, underscored the critical role of food security in national development, linking it to health standards, poverty reduction, and overall societal stability. He expressed concern over a trend where institutions and individuals focus on activities that do not contribute to national development, stressing the urgent need for comprehensive human development efforts in Nigeria.
