…..Reps Committee pushes stronger food security laws
Agricultural experts and food security advocates have called on Nigerians to embrace organic farming and local seed production, warning that excessive dependence on imported seeds and agricultural inputs could undermine the country’s food sovereignty.
The stakeholders made the call on Friday, October 16, during a World Food Day media briefing at the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja, organised by the Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR), in conjunction with Loveworld Ministry of Food Technology and Sovereignty.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of CAfPRA and Deputy Director of CEFSAR, Segun Adebayo, said food security goes beyond having enough food, stressing that a country must also have control over how its food is produced and the seeds used in cultivation.
“Everybody must eat. Food is not discriminatory. But we have to be very careful about what we eat because what we eat matters a great deal,” Adebayo said.
He urged Nigerians to embrace the Let’s Go Planting initiative, noting that individuals could contribute to food production by cultivating gardens in their homes, backyards and available spaces.
According to him, dependence on foreign seed suppliers could leave Nigeria vulnerable if access to such seeds is disrupted.
He explained that some seed varieties cannot be replanted after harvest, forcing farmers to return to suppliers for fresh supplies, a situation he said could threaten the country’s food sovereignty.
Adebayo called for greater investment in regenerative seeds that farmers can preserve and replant, urging households, schools and communities to take practical steps towards producing their own food.
The Chief Executive Officer of Women Food, Juliet Okumoku Eniakor, also stressed the importance of organic farming, saying her company prioritises organic seeds for farmers involved in its food processing operations.
She said the Let’s Go Planting initiative provides an opportunity to educate Nigerians about the importance of safe food production, irrespective of their financial status, religion or location.
Similarly, Pastor Tom Obiazi, Director of the Department of Agriculture at Loveworld Ministry of Food Technology and Sovereignty, raised concerns about the use of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, calling for greater attention to their potential effects on soil quality and food safety.
Drawing from his experience growing up around an agricultural plantation, Obiazi said farming practices must be carefully assessed to ensure that efforts to increase yields do not compromise environmental sustainability and human health.
He advocated organic farming as an alternative, arguing that farmers should explore production methods that reduce reliance on potentially harmful chemicals.
Also speaking, Ifeanyi A. Nwaokolo, representing Loveworld Ministry of Food Sovereignty, emphasised the need for collaboration among farmers, researchers, investors, processors and distributors to build a sustainable food system.
He said access to safe and responsibly produced food was essential to protecting public health and creating economic opportunities, adding that farmers should have the freedom to choose seed varieties suited to their needs.
Lucasamo of Lou Freys Global Enterprise said the Let’s Go Planting initiative had strengthened efforts to promote healthier food production, processing, packaging and consumption.
He urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to the quality of food they consume, noting that food safety should be a shared responsibility.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor, represented by the Clerk of the Committee, Adm. Agenti Milicent, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s food and nutrition security framework.
Okafor said the committee, established in December 2023 and inaugurated in February 2024, had worked to strengthen legislative action on nutrition and food security across the federation.
He disclosed that nutrition and food security committees had been established in 32 states, forming the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security alongside the federal committee.
According to him, the network is working on legislative proposals addressing issues including the extension of maternity leave to six months and the regulation of the sale of adulterated vegetable oils in open markets.
He also disclosed that the committee was working on the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria Bill, which had passed second reading in the House and was scheduled for public hearing on October 20, 2026.
The committee chairman further said the National Nutrition Bill, an executive bill, was at an advanced stage of preparation ahead of its transmission to the National Assembly.
He identified effective oversight of nutrition funding, protection of local food systems and measures to shield children from aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods as key legislative priorities.
Okafor warned that malnutrition and food insecurity remained serious threats to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development, with rising inflation placing additional pressure on households.
He called for stronger partnerships between the legislature, government agencies, private organisations and development partners to address the country’s food and nutrition challenges.
The stakeholders urged Nigerians to make food production a collective responsibility, stressing that home gardening, access to quality seeds, responsible farming practices and stronger local food systems could contribute to a healthier and more food-secure nation.
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