POSITIONING THE NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICE FOR FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA

 

One of the hidden truths is that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has a significant role to play in ensuring food security and contributing to the agricultural development of Nigeria. With abundant human and land resources domiciled in the over 80,000 inmates in the 253 custodial centres as well as the numerous farm centres with expanse of land nationwide, the correctional service can seamlessly guarantee food security and contribute meaningfully to the development of the nation’s agricultural sector, if properly positioned.

Agriculture is a vital component of Nigeria's economy, accounting for approximately 25% of the country's GDP. However, we are all witnesses to the fact that the agricultural sector in Nigeria faces numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to loan and credit, and use of inefficient and crude farming practices etc. Despite these challenges, the sector offers significant opportunities for growth and development, which can bring Nigeria out of the woods it is currently in considering the scarcity and high cost of food in the market today.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has a unique role to play in food security and agricultural development in Nigeria. With a large human resource base comprising of inmates and personnel, the service can contribute to agricultural production, processing, and marketing. The Nigerian Correctional Service can also provide training and skills development programmes for inmates, equipping them with the knowledge and skills required to engage in agricultural activities upon release.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has access to substantial areas of land, but this land is either not sufficiently utilized or under-producing. The Service runs numerous Farm Centres with the mandate of training inmates in agricultural practices. Farm centres are constrained by lack of resources, while mode of production is still crude. Particularly, funding has been a major constraint that is bugging down the Service in this endeavour. If the Nigerian Correctional Service as an institution comes low down the list of government spending priorities, farm centres appear low down the list of budgeting priorities in the Nigerian Correctional Service.

There are not less than 12 major Farm Centres in Nigeria, located in Lakushi (Plateau), Elele (Rivers), Bisallam (Sokoto), Maiduguri (Borno), Birnin-Kudu (Jigawa), Ozalla (Edo), Ago-Iwoye (Ogun), Jato-Aka (Benue), Dukpa (FCT), Ibite-Olo (Enugu), Orreh (Imo), Kujama, Adim (Cross River) etc. There are poultry/piggery projects in Enugu, Kaduna, Ilorin, Owerri, Kuje, Kiri-kiri, Minna,Abeokuta, Makurdi, Argungu, Abakiliki, Potiskum, Onitsha, Ogba, and a grass cutter project in Aba. There are agriculture gardens/projects in Kaduna, Oji-River, Saminaka, Lamingo, Obubra, Abakiliki, Sintali/Kojoli, Lafiaji, Funtua,Ingawa, Itu, and Ogbomosho, amongst others. These farm centres can guarantee food security and agricultural renaissance if properly positioned to do so.

The Service engaging in agricultural production can have numerous benefits. First and foremost, it can be a leeway to achieving a reduced recidivism rate in Nigeria. It is by providing inmates with skills and knowledge in agriculture that the Service can reduce recidivism rates and enhance community and public safety. Being a frontline player in agricultural production will also lead to increased food production, thereby enhancing food security and reducing dependence on imports. In Furtherance, by providing inmates with agricultural skills and knowledge, the Service can empower them economically, reducing poverty and enhancing socio-economic stability, while contributing to employment generation and socio-economic development.

To position the Service for optimal impact in food security and agricultural development, Service need to rejuvenate the farm centres in various locations across the country, providing inmates with hands-on training in agricultural production and practices. The Service also needs to provide training and skills development programmes for inmates, focusing on areas such as crop production, animal husbandry, and agricultural entrepreneurship. The Service needs to partner with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and private sector organizations, to access resources, expertise, and markets for agricultural products.

Most importantly, the Service should as a matter of fact adopt mechanized farming practices and leverage technology to enhance agricultural productivity and efficiency, while focusing on developing the entire agricultural value chain, from production to processing and marketing, to ensure that inmates gain comprehensive knowledge and skills. Also, there is need for the Service to recruit instructors and other experts in agricultural practices to drive the process.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has a significant role to play in food security and agricultural development of Nigeria. By repositioning itself, the Service can contribute meaningfully to food security, agricultural production, processing, and marketing, while also providing inmates with skills and knowledge that can enhance their socio-economic prospects upon release. The benefits of NCoS participation in agricultural development are numerous, and the service must be positioned to play a leading role in Nigeria's food security and agricultural transformation.