ARCN Rallies Stakeholders to Strengthen Nigeria’s Agricultural Research
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ARCN Rallies Stakeholders to Strengthen Nigeria’s Agricultural Research
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has declared open the maiden edition of the National Stakeholders Forum on Agricultural Research Capabilities, with a call for sustained investment, innovation, and collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural research system.
The forum, jointly organised by ARCN and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), held in Abuja on Wednesday, brought together development partners, research institutions, policymakers, academia, and private sector actors to assess Nigeria’s progress in agricultural research and chart a forward-looking agenda.
With the theme “Research Capabilities in Nigeria: The Journey So Far”, the gathering provided what Dr. Dabban described as “a strategic platform to reflect, celebrate, and most importantly envision the future of agricultural research in Nigeria.”
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According to him, Nigeria’s National Agricultural Research System (NARS) has over the years built significant capabilities in human resources, technology, infrastructure, and collaborative knowledge-sharing.
He noted that these achievements were made possible through strong partnerships involving government, national and international research institutions, the private sector, and farming communities.
“We thank the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the CGIAR family, ECOWAS, AATF, FARA, CORAF, universities, and the private sector for their enduring support and commitment, which have greatly strengthened Nigeria’s research capabilities,” Dabban stated.
While acknowledging the vision of ARCN’s founding leaders, he stressed that the sector must continue to evolve in response to emerging challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and population growth.
He pledged that ARCN would sustain ongoing projects, launch new initiatives, and implement reforms aligned with the Federal Government’s strategic priorities for agriculture.
Among the council’s immediate priorities are: the development of second-generation strategic and operational plans, the review of conditions and schemes of service for research institutes and colleges of agriculture, and the update of guidelines for managing agricultural research institutions.
“This Forum is both reflective and catalytic. The insights generated here will shape a forward-looking agenda for agricultural research in Nigeria, one that is responsive, inclusive, and transformative,” Dabban said.
He emphasised that capability management in agricultural research is a shared responsibility, urging stakeholders to ensure that resolutions from the Forum cascade effectively across the research and agricultural value chain.
Nigeria, he said, stands at a crossroads, but with the right investments in science, technology, and innovation, the country has the opportunity to achieve food security and transform livelihoods.
On his part, Dabban commended IITA, the Committee of Directors of Research Institutes (CODRI), and the National Committee of Heads of Colleges of Agriculture and Related Disciplines (NACHCARD) for their role in making the Forum possible.
He formally declared the maiden edition of the National Agricultural Research Forum open, expressing confidence that the deliberations would be impactful and lay a solid foundation for annual convenings.
