Abuja: The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has appealed to the government and relevant stakeholders to back its Smart Alternate Irrigation and Drying (SAID) Project, which aims to boost digital rice production. Prof. Simon Ortuanya, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, made this appeal during a two-day workshop of the AgriDI-UNN Digital Innovation project held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was organized by the AGROTECH Research Group of UNN in partnership with Accelerating Inclusive Green Growth through Agri-based Digital Innovation in West Africa (AgriDI) of the Tropical Insect Institute (icipe). The workshop, themed ‘From Pilot to Policy: Scaling Smart Alternate Irrigation for Climate-Resilient Food Systems,’ marked the transition from the pilot phase to broader implementation of smart agriculture initiatives.
Ortuanya emphasized that although the workshop served as a closing ceremony for the pilot phase, the intention is to transform it into a launching point for broader applications, extending beyond Nigeria to other African universities. He highlighted the potential of the developed technology to enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience across Africa.
Farmers participating in the pilot project across Enugu and Ebonyi States have acquired skills in dry-season irrigation and smart farming, which are expected to improve rice yields despite climate change challenges. Ortuanya urged for greater involvement from stakeholders to sustain and expand the initiative, emphasizing the importance of scaling up for long-term success.
Prof. Anthonia Achike, the project team leader, revealed that UNN has developed a digital application to support dry-season rice farming following 15 months of research and testing. The application has proven effective, and further government and international support is sought to expand the pilot results.
Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Chairman of the Governing Board of the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), praised UNN’s efforts to integrate digital technology into agriculture to tackle food insecurity. He called for collective action to address the challenges of insecurity that hinder agricultural productivity, alongside technological advancements.