Juliet Ezeh
Nigeria’s pursuit of food security must evolve into a broader strategy of food sovereignty to guarantee national stability, a leading expert has advised, warning that continued dependence on food imports and weak agricultural systems could deepen the country’s economic and social vulnerabilities.
Speaking at the 2026 Nigerian Public Relations Week in Kaduna, Professor Demo Kalla, Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence on Food Security at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, urged the Federal Government to reposition agriculture beyond policy rhetoric and treat food access as a critical pillar of governance and national survival.
Kalla, who delivered a paper on the “Politics of Food Security” at the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Week, said ensuring that citizens have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food is not merely a development goal, but a defining measure of leadership.
“At its essence, food security is a test of governance of whether leadership can translate vision into nourishment for all. Where we fall short, hunger persists not by fate, but by design,” he said.
He stressed that the true measure of governance lies in its ability to provide inclusive prosperity, noting that food insecurity reflects deeper structural failures in policy implementation, economic planning, and social inclusion.
From Food Security to Food Sovereignty
Kalla’s central argument focused on the urgent need for Nigeria to shift from food security often defined as access to food to food sovereignty, which emphasizes local control over food production systems, agricultural policies, and resource management.
According to him, Nigeria must build a resilient agricultural system driven by innovation, data, and local capacity, rather than relying heavily on external supply chains that are vulnerable to global disruptions.
He cited recent global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as tensions in the Middle East, as clear examples of how international shocks can disrupt food supply chains, inflate production costs, and expose fragile economies like Nigeria’s.
“Nigeria cannot continue to depend on food imports, even in areas where it has a clear competitive advantage,” Kalla warned.
Structural Challenges and Policy Gaps
The food security expert identified a complex web of challenges including climate change, poverty, weak governance, and conflict as interconnected drivers of food insecurity across Africa.
“These are not isolated realities; they are symptoms of political and economic systems that determine who has access to food, how it is produced, and whose voices are heard,” he explained.
He referenced the four pillars of food security availability, access, utilization, and stability emphasizing that Nigeria continues to struggle across all four indicators.
Kalla also highlighted Nigeria’s failure to meet key continental commitments, particularly under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, which recommends that countries allocate at least 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture.
Despite repeated pledges, he noted, Nigeria has yet to meet this target, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to agricultural transformation.
Agriculture, Insecurity, and Economic Stability
Linking agriculture directly to national security, Kalla warned that neglecting rural economies and farming communities could worsen insecurity across the country.
He noted that rising poverty, unemployment, and exclusion in rural areas are key drivers of instability, adding that strengthening agriculture could serve as a powerful tool for economic inclusion and peacebuilding.
As Nigeria approaches another planting season, he cautioned that failure to protect farmers and invest in agricultural productivity could have far-reaching consequences for food availability and price stability.
Communication as a Tool for Change
Addressing communication professionals at the conference, Kalla underscored the critical role of public relations in shaping national priorities and influencing policy outcomes.
He described practitioners as “custodians of national narratives,” capable of transforming how citizens perceive agriculture and food systems.
“For in shaping what a nation talks about, they ultimately shape what a nation chooses to do,” he said, calling for more strategic communication to counter negative narratives, promote agricultural innovation, and drive citizen engagement.
Government Response and Sector Reforms
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, outlined ongoing government efforts to reposition agriculture as a key economic driver under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Maiha said the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development represents a structural shift aimed at unlocking the multi-billion-dollar potential of the livestock sector.
He noted that reforms are focused on improving animal health systems, enhancing feeding practices, expanding market access, and promoting value addition across the production chain.
According to him, the broader objective is to boost Nigeria’s low consumption of animal-source protein while creating sustainable economic opportunities in dairy, meat, eggs, and leather production.
Sustaining the Conversation
In his remarks, NIPR President Ike Neliaku announced plans to establish an Agriculture and Food Security Hub to sustain national conversations beyond the conference.
The hub, he said, would serve as a platform for stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, and strategic communication, with Professor Kalla and other experts expected to play advisory roles.
As Nigeria grapples with rising food prices, supply chain disruptions, and rural insecurity, Kalla’s call for a shift toward food sovereignty adds urgency to ongoing debates about the future of agriculture and national stability.
His message was clear: without deliberate action, strong policies, and sustained investment, food insecurity will remain not just an economic challenge, but a threat to Nigeria’s long-term stability.Nigeria’s pursuit of food security must evolve into a broader strategy of food sovereignty to guarantee national stability, a leading expert has advised, warning that continued dependence on food imports and weak agricultural systems could deepen the country’s economic and social vulnerabilities.
Speaking at the 2026 Nigerian Public Relations Week in Kaduna, Professor Demo Kalla, Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence on Food Security at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, urged the Federal Government to reposition agriculture beyond policy rhetoric and treat food access as a critical pillar of governance and national survival.
Kalla, who delivered a paper on the “Politics of Food Security” at the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Week, said ensuring that citizens have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food is not merely a development goal, but a defining measure of leadership.
“At its essence, food security is a test of governance of whether leadership can translate vision into nourishment for all. Where we fall short, hunger persists not by fate, but by design,” he said.
He stressed that the true measure of governance lies in its ability to provide inclusive prosperity, noting that food insecurity reflects deeper structural failures in policy implementation, economic planning, and social inclusion.
From Food Security to Food Sovereignty
Kalla’s central argument focused on the urgent need for Nigeria to shift from food security often defined as access to food to food sovereignty, which emphasizes local control over food production systems, agricultural policies, and resource management.
According to him, Nigeria must build a resilient agricultural system driven by innovation, data, and local capacity, rather than relying heavily on external supply chains that are vulnerable to global disruptions.
He cited recent global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as tensions in the Middle East, as clear examples of how international shocks can disrupt food supply chains, inflate production costs, and expose fragile economies like Nigeria’s.
“Nigeria cannot continue to depend on food imports, even in areas where it has a clear competitive advantage,” Kalla warned.
Structural Challenges and Policy Gaps
The food security expert identified a complex web of challenges including climate change, poverty, weak governance, and conflict as interconnected drivers of food insecurity across Africa.
“These are not isolated realities; they are symptoms of political and economic systems that determine who has access to food, how it is produced, and whose voices are heard,” he explained.
He referenced the four pillars of food security availability, access, utilization, and stability emphasizing that Nigeria continues to struggle across all four indicators.
Kalla also highlighted Nigeria’s failure to meet key continental commitments, particularly under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, which recommends that countries allocate at least 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture.
Despite repeated pledges, he noted, Nigeria has yet to meet this target, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to agricultural transformation.
Agriculture, Insecurity, and Economic Stability
Linking agriculture directly to national security, Kalla warned that neglecting rural economies and farming communities could worsen insecurity across the country.
He noted that rising poverty, unemployment, and exclusion in rural areas are key drivers of instability, adding that strengthening agriculture could serve as a powerful tool for economic inclusion and peacebuilding.
As Nigeria approaches another planting season, he cautioned that failure to protect farmers and invest in agricultural productivity could have far-reaching consequences for food availability and price stability.
Communication as a Tool for Change
Addressing communication professionals at the conference, Kalla underscored the critical role of public relations in shaping national priorities and influencing policy outcomes.
He described practitioners as “custodians of national narratives,” capable of transforming how citizens perceive agriculture and food systems.
“For in shaping what a nation talks about, they ultimately shape what a nation chooses to do,” he said, calling for more strategic communication to counter negative narratives, promote agricultural innovation, and drive citizen engagement.
Government Response and Sector Reforms
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, outlined ongoing government efforts to reposition agriculture as a key economic driver under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Maiha said the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development represents a structural shift aimed at unlocking the multi-billion-dollar potential of the livestock sector.
He noted that reforms are focused on improving animal health systems, enhancing feeding practices, expanding market access, and promoting value addition across the production chain.
According to him, the broader objective is to boost Nigeria’s low consumption of animal-source protein while creating sustainable economic opportunities in dairy, meat, eggs, and leather production.
Sustaining the Conversation
In his remarks, NIPR President Ike Neliaku announced plans to establish an Agriculture and Food Security Hub to sustain national conversations beyond the conference.
The hub, he said, would serve as a platform for stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, and strategic communication, with Professor Kalla and other experts expected to play advisory roles.
As Nigeria grapples with rising food prices, supply chain disruptions, and rural insecurity, Kalla’s call for a shift toward food sovereignty adds urgency to ongoing debates about the future of agriculture and national stability.
His message was clear: without deliberate action, strong policies, and sustained investment, food insecurity will remain not just an economic challenge, but a threat to Nigeria’s long-term stability.