Michael-Orokpo: Nigeria Can’t Achieve Food Security Without Reliable Farmer Database
Shield Africa CEO Osenaga Michael-Orokpo Calls for Creation of National Farmer Database to Ensure Fair Input Distribution
President and CEO of Shield Africa, Osenaga Michael-Orokpo, has emphasized that Nigeria cannot achieve true food security without establishing a credible and structured national database of farmers. She noted that such a database is essential to ensure that government support and agricultural inputs reach the intended beneficiaries.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Thursday, Orokpo explained that while the federal government’s import substitution policy was introduced to stabilize food prices and boost local production, persistent structural challenges — including insecurity, currency devaluation, rising input costs, and inconsistent policies — continue to hinder progress in the agricultural sector.
“The import substitution policy was designed to balance food prices and encourage local production, but insecurity has displaced over two million farmers,” she said. “Fertilizer that once cost ₦8,000 per bag now sells for up to ₦50,000. These systemic issues make food self-sufficiency a difficult goal to achieve.”
Orokpo expressed concern that despite government claims of extensive farmer support, only a small fraction of Nigeria’s estimated 38 million farmers are actually documented in official records.
“From my assessment, not more than 20 percent of farmers are properly captured in the government’s database,” she said. “Do we even have accurate data showing who these farmers are, what they cultivate, and where they are located? Without that, support will continue to reach only a few.”
She stressed that a functional and verifiable farmer database is vital for effective policy implementation and equitable distribution of essential inputs like fertilizer, seeds, and tractors. Without proper structure, she added, government interventions would continue to yield limited results.
Highlighting the opportunities for youth and women in agriculture, Orokpo said the sector offers vast potential across the value chain — from farming to research, innovation, and agribusiness management.
“Our farmers are aging; it’s time for the younger generation to take over,” she said. “There are opportunities everywhere — from cultivating crops to developing drought-resistant seeds, producing local fertilizers, and leveraging new technologies.”
She urged both government and private stakeholders to play active roles in training and financially empowering young agripreneurs, equipping them with the skills and resources needed to thrive in modern agriculture.
Orokpo also announced Shield Africa’s upcoming Future of Agribusiness in Africa Summit, an initiative focused on empowering youth and women through agricultural knowledge and funding.
“We are supporting young people aged 18 to 40 with seed funding of $1,500 each to grow their agribusinesses,” she revealed. “This initiative is self-funded — our way of investing in the next generation of agricultural leaders.”
Source: ARISE NEWS