By Nkechi Eze
The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has called for deeper collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria in securing the nation’s food systems and advancing agricultural innovations.
Executive Secretary of ARCN, Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, made this appeal during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. He emphasized that food security is the bedrock of national security, commending the military for its unwavering support to farmers and agricultural initiatives across the country.
“A nation that cannot feed itself cannot fully secure itself. Our farmers, who are the backbone of food production, continue to face enormous challenges, especially threats to their safety. However, your presence and activities have brought relief to farmers and institutions working with them. For this, we say thank you for your service to the nation,” Dr. Dabban said.
Outlining ARCN’s mandate in coordinating research across 16 National Agricultural Research Institutes and 18 Federal Colleges of Agriculture, he identified key areas of partnership with the Defence Headquarters. These include joint research on the detection and containment of high-consequence plant and animal diseases, use of unmanned systems and satellite imagery for precision agriculture, local engineering of agricultural machinery, and human capital development through training, veteran farming programmes, and agricultural outreach initiatives.
Dr. Dabban stressed that such collaborations would inspire confidence among farmers, guarantee uninterrupted production, increase food output, and ultimately strengthen national stability.
Responding on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General I.M. Abdullahi, Chairman of Defence Farms, congratulated Dr. Dabban and the ARCN delegation, assuring them of the military’s strong commitment to food security. He recalled that the Armed Forces had long been involved in agricultural ventures, noting the establishment of military ranches by the Nigerian Army in 2017 and the launch of the Defence Food and Livestock Project in 2024.
General Abdullahi also highlighted the military’s collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources in cultivating over 1,000 hectares of farmland to enhance food sustainability, while exploring opportunities with research institutions under ARCN. He further noted efforts to secure farming communities and mitigate farmer-herder conflicts, referencing a peace template piloted in Gurara designed to promote coexistence between host communities and herders.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria take food security seriously. Beyond providing security for farmers, we are investing in agricultural projects to sustain the national grain reserve. We will continue to partner with ARCN to ensure the adoption of improved varieties and technologies that will benefit the Nigerian people,” he assured.
Both institutions agreed that the visit marks a renewed commitment to leveraging science, research, and military capacity in addressing food security challenges and building a resilient agricultural system for Nigeria.
