FULAFIA Expert Calls for AI Adoption in Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman, has emphasized the need to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture to tackle food insecurity in Nigeria and Africa. He highlighted AI's potential to improve food production, reduce waste, and enhance farming efficiency.

According to Abdul Rahman, AI can determine optimal planting times, detect pests early, manage resources efficiently, enhance quality control, and improve food safety. He cited examples of AI applications in agriculture, including smart sprayers that reduce herbicide use and robotic harvesters that address labor shortages.

The professor acknowledged potential challenges, including high implementation costs and limited access for small-scale farmers, and called on stakeholders to invest in infrastructure, training, and ethical frameworks to ensure AI benefits all farmers.

Abdul Rahman also praised the Nigerian Army's increasing involvement in agriculture, highlighting initiatives such as planting one million date seedlings and developing rice farms to boost food production nationwide.