The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, ARCN, has called for increased and consistent funding to enhance service delivery while reaffirming its commitment to climate-smart and research-driven agriculture.
The Executive Secretary of ARCN, Dr. Abubakar Dabban Adamu, made the remarks during two key engagements last week. In Abuja, he welcomed SERVICOM officials on an advocacy visit, emphasizing that adequate funding is essential to achieving 100% service delivery across all sectors.
“The meeting is timely. The SERVICOM meeting has not been held because of funding. We are coming out to demand adequate and constant funding to enable us to do what we couldn’t do before. SERVICOM is very key to every sector. For us to achieve 100% service delivery, we need to fund SERVICOM for maximum output,” Dr. Dabban Adamu stated.
He reiterated ARCN’s commitment to deeper collaboration with SERVICOM to enhance efficiency within Nigeria’s agricultural research system, noting that the council remains open to stronger partnerships to support its mandate.
Also present, the Director of Reform, Coordination Service Improvement and Innovation at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Udoh Effik, commended ARCN for hosting the previous focal officers’ meeting, describing it as impactful and result-oriented. Effik stressed that SERVICOM offers a viable channel for promoting innovation and best practices across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
Kikelomo Aina, Assistant Director and Team Leader of the SERVICOM Office, praised the council for championing service delivery and urged continued support, noting, “Every ministry and department has a SERVICOM unit, and we encourage that every customer should be crowned as king.”
Meanwhile, in Lagos, Dr. Dabban Adamu addressed the National Summit on Agroecology and Public-Private Partnership (PPP), highlighting Nigeria’s agricultural potential and the critical need for research-driven, climate-smart solutions. The two-day summit, organized by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria, convened stakeholders to discuss sustainable food systems, climate justice, and agroecology.
Dr. Dabban Adamu emphasized the council’s role in coordinating 16 agricultural research institutes and 17 federal colleges of agriculture across the country, tasked with conducting research on crops, livestock, and fisheries, as well as training middle-level manpower in all aspects of agriculture.
“The summit provides an invaluable platform for discussions and sharing of experiences which will inspire new ideas and collaborations that will drive positive change in our agricultural practices and contribute to a more food-secure future for all,” he said.
He further pledged ARCN’s commitment to offering robust scientific support, coordinating national research programs, and fostering partnerships that will drive transformation across the agricultural value chain. Stakeholders at the summit urged Nigeria to adopt climate-smart, inclusive, and research-backed agricultural practices to address the challenges posed by climate change.
