A leading health and agricultural Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, Self Help Africa, SHA, has called for urgent reforms to ensure that innovative agricultural solutions developed by researchers get to farmers who need them most.
Speaking at a media briefing during the National Mid-Term Review of the climate pollutants abatement project in Abuja, SHA Country Director, Joy Aderele, decried the gap between research institutions and grassroots farming communities.
“We visited top agricultural institutes last week and found groundbreaking innovations that could transform food production.”
“Unfortunately, these solutions are sitting on shelves, far removed from the farmers they’re meant to help. The average farmer still doesn’t know these innovations exist,” she said.
Aderele advocated for policies and protocols that would allow researchers to share their findings without fear of intellectual property issues.
“We need frameworks that empower researchers to freely disseminate their work to boost food security,” she added.
She also noted key achievements of SHA’s ongoing projects, including a significant reduction in bush burning, a traditional practice that degrades soil quality.
According to her, through climate-smart agriculture, farmers are now seeing improved crop yields and environmental health.
Notably, she said post-harvest waste is being transformed into valuable products, adding that rice residues are now repurposed into briquettes, offering farmers an extra source of income.
She disclosed that the pilot initiative in Benue State is already yielding results and is set for national expansion.
SHA aims to scale this model to all 36 states and the FCT, reaching more farmers and promoting sustainable practices.
Aderele noted that the organization has supported over half a million smallholder farmers globally, with a particular focus on making agriculture appealing to the youth.
On his part, the Director of the Department of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Muhammed Bello, stressed the government’s commitment to sustainable land management.
Bello said the ongoing collaboration is crucial to enhancing soil health, boosting productivity, and tackling short-lived climate pollutants across the country.
