Lead fight against food crisis, NSE tells African engineers

The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, yesterday called on engineers across Africa to deploy innovation and strengthen regional collaboration to address food insecurity on the continent. Rabiu made the call in a goodwill message at the 56th Annual Engineering Conference of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE). He […]

The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, yesterday called on engineers across Africa to deploy innovation and strengthen regional collaboration to address food insecurity on the continent.

Rabiu made the call in a goodwill message at the 56th Annual Engineering Conference of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE).

He described the conference theme, “Engineering the Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Value Chain,” as timely and critical to tackling one of Africa’s most pressing challenges.

According to him, rapid population growth, climate change and systemic inefficiencies have increased pressure on agricultural systems, requiring engineering-driven and multidisciplinary solutions.

“This is not only an agricultural challenge; it is also an engineering challenge that requires innovative solutions and modern technologies,” he said.

Rabiu urged engineers to play more active roles across the agricultural value chain, including production, processing, preservation, packaging and transportation.

He emphasised that sustainable agricultural development depends on investments in infrastructure, efficient logistics networks and modern processing and preservation technologies.

The NSE president noted that Nigeria had recorded progress in agricultural engineering, including the adoption of precision farming and biotechnology, but identified security challenges as major setbacks.

He cited farmer-herder and farmer-bandit conflicts as factors undermining sustainability and agricultural productivity.

Rabiu also stressed that food security was closely linked to human security, warning that socio-environmental conflicts could disrupt food systems across the continent.

He called for stronger collaboration among governments, institutions and professional bodies, noting that engineering diplomacy remained vital in addressing shared challenges through knowledge exchange and cooperation.

Rabiu reaffirmed the longstanding relationship between NSE and GhIE, describing it as a platform for collective problem-solving and regional development.

He expressed optimism that the conference would generate practical solutions and urged engineers to take the lead in developing innovative approaches to support sustainable development and food security in Africa.