Nigeria’s agricultural future must be anchored on stronger research governance, bold investments in human capacity, and deeper collaboration across the value chain, the executive secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has declared.
Dr. Dabban made this call in Abuja on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, while welcoming participants to the National Stakeholders’ Forum on Agricultural Research Capabilities, jointly organised by ARCN and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
“This forum is more than a gathering—it is a platform to reflect, celebrate, and most importantly envision the future of agricultural research in Nigeria,” Dabban told the audience of policymakers, researchers, farmers, and development partners.
According to him, the theme of the forum, ‘Research Capabilities in Nigeria: The Journey So Far’, was “timely and instructive,” urging participants to take stock of achievements, challenges, and opportunities in Nigeria’s agricultural research system.
“Security of food and livelihoods depends on science, innovation, and technology,” Dabban said. “Nigeria’s agriculture stands at a crossroads—challenged by climate change and population growth, yet energized by the promise of research to drive food security and transform lives.”
The ARCN boss used the occasion to salute the vision of Nigeria’s agricultural research pioneers, especially the founding fathers of ARCN, noting that the country’s National Agricultural Research System (NARS) had over the years developed critical capabilities in human resources, infrastructure, technological innovations, and knowledge sharing.
“These milestones were not achieved in isolation,” he added, “but through strong partnerships among government, international research bodies, the private sector, and farming communities who remain at the center of our efforts.”
Dr. Dabban further proposed that the stakeholders’ forum should become an annual event, stressing that agricultural research requires consistency, reflection, and sustained collaboration.
Highlighting the council’s new priorities, he revealed that ARCN had already commenced engagements with stakeholders to develop a second-generation strategic plan, revisit conditions of service for research institutes and colleges, and update management guidelines last reviewed in 2009.
The executive secretary assured that the council would complete ongoing projects while commissioning new ones in alignment with the strategic goals of ARCN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
As the forum got underway, Dabban challenged participants to use the sessions to generate practical insights that would strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural research landscape.
“This forum is both reflective and catalytic. The decisions and actions we take here must cascade across the entire agricultural research value chain,” he charged.
He expressed gratitude to 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 partnership, adding that their support had been instrumental in bringing the maiden edition of the forum to life.
With a note of optimism, Dabban declared the forum open, saying:
“Distinguished stakeholders, we have come a long way, but the road ahead calls for even greater vision and collaboration. Let us rise to that challenge.”
Nigeria’s Agriculture at Crossroads, Says ARCN Boss as stakeholders brainstorm on research capabilities
