Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has tasked research institutes to become engines of transformation in Nigeria’s food security drive.
On a visit to the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) in Ibadan on September 25, Dabban said the minister had charged ARCN institutes and Federal Colleges of Agriculture to “renew their focus and prioritize all aspects of production to meet national demands.”
He announced ongoing talks with TETFUND for research funding and with the Head of Service for a new scheme of service for institutes and colleges.
“We are the engine room and we shall be seen,” Dabban declared. “When the fund comes, we must use it for areas where the institutes are lagging behind.”
NIHORT’s Executive Director, Prof. Muhammed Atanda, described the visit as timely but pressed for better funding.
“The delays drag research backward. We need motivation and resources to meet our mandate,” Atanda said, while applauding staff commitment.
Research Institutes Must Drive Nigeria’s Food Security – ARCN Boss
