Participants at the summit discussed how university research could help address food insecurity and poverty in Nigeria.
Covenant University and development experts have called for increased research into food preservation, distribution and the challenges facing farmers to address food insecurity in Nigeria.
The call was contained in a statement made available on Saturday following a joint summit organised by the university and Innovation for Poverty Action to mark World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Speaking at the event held at the university’s Centre for Research, Innovation and Discovery auditorium, the Dean of the College of Science and Technology, Prof. Afolabi Sunmola, said research should address the challenges linking food insecurity with access to education and healthcare.
Sunmola, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Timothy Anake, said universities needed to focus on practical solutions to problems affecting agricultural production and food supply.
“The submission argued that scholarly focus must move beyond the basic metrics of increasing crop yields to investigate the macroeconomic friction crushing smallholder farmers.
“University data highlights that skyrocketing input costs for fertilisers and seeds, combined with rural security threats and climate volatility, are actively destabilising traditional crop cycles,” the statement read.
The summit also highlighted inadequate food preservation facilities as a major contributor to post-harvest losses.
Participants called for research into affordable cold-storage facilities and more efficient distribution systems to help farmers preserve produce and get it to markets before it spoils.
The Director of the university’s International Office and Linkages, Dr Gershon Obindah, said technological innovations should be assessed by their impact on people’s lives rather than their novelty.
He argued that digital tools alone could not eliminate poverty without practical interventions that improve access to essential needs, including food.
The summit also called for stronger collaboration between universities, development organisations and other stakeholders to ensure research findings translate into practical solutions to hunger and poverty.
The event emphasised the need for higher institutions to align research with the immediate challenges facing communities, particularly food insecurity and the economic pressures affecting vulnerable households.