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Nigeria Will Continue To Be A Loser In Harnessing Economic Value - Kano Dep Gov Prof Hafiz



Nigeria will continue to be a loser in harnessing economic value in its Agricultural production if it continues to ignore Food Science and Technology in its Agricultural value chain.

This was the view of the Kano State Deputy Governor Professor Hafiz Abubakar during an interview with a team led by Dr. Joseph Oneh Abu who is the Editor, ‘Food Forum’ Magazine, a publication of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology in his office.

He said “I don't have any doubt in my mind that if this country does not recognize the place of Food Science and Technology in this chain, we will just continue to be losers and our economy will continue to suffer heavily because agriculture is the main stay of the Economy.”

Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, who is a fellow of the Institute, noted that Nigeria’s Agricultural vision seems to be narrow, in terms of the chain. It always stops at the produce line, which is the production of raw materials, and it is very difficult to get the major decision makers to move to the second and the most important column of the chain which is the processing.

He pointed out that the loss the country has suffered from lack of professionalizing Food Science and Technology is colossal, adding “I wish I can show videos of agricultural losses to those that matter in this country.”

Professor Abubakar lamented that even the professional agriculturists do not seem to understand the role of Food Science and Technology in actually bringing the much needed economic value they have been looking for in Agriculture itself and the larger economy.

“If you only produce the raw material and stop, you will only achieve just maximum of 30% of the total economic value and to achieve 100% you must employ food science value adding techniques”, the deputy Governor said.

He said the major challenge is in understanding the role of Food Science and Technology in the agricultural production chain and according it its rightful place.

Prof. Abubakar attributed the failure of President Jonathan to accent signature to the Bill for the establishment of the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology charter after its passage by the National Assembly and the failure of the Assembly to invoke its constitutional power to make it a law to lack of proper understanding of its economic value to the country as well as lack of political will.
He challenged the Food Science professionals to rise to the challenges including participation in politics in order to promote the profession for the benefit of the country.

Prof. Hafiz explained that Kano State has been a pacesetter in the training of Food Scientists in Northern Nigeria, adding that Kano State University of Science and Technology was the first degree awarding institution in the Northwest zone and Audu Bako College of Agriculture is planning to commence Diploma programme in the field.
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