Reflections: Unlocking the Potential of Urban Farming - The Policy Imperative (PiLAF Brown Bag Series 20th Edition)

Unlocking the Potential of Urban Farming - The Policy Imperative (PiLAF Brown Bag Series 20th Edition)

This was an afterthought of the presentation for PiLAF's (the Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Ibadan) Brown Bag Series which explored the growing relevance of urban and innovative farming systems in addressing Nigeria’s triple challenges of food security, unemployment, and climate change.

The presentation highlighted practical urban farming models including hydroponics, soilless cultivation, sack farming (SAC), vertical farming, and other controlled-environment techniques.

It will examined how these systems can deliver year-round production of high-value crops (such as tomato, okra, cucumber, and pepper), reduce post-harvest losses, create employment opportunities, especially for youth and women, and build climate resilience through resource-efficient practices.

A key focus was on the policy imperative, where current gaps in Nigeria’s agricultural policy frameworks were identified and with proposed actionable recommendations to mainstream urban agriculture into national and sub-national food security strategies, land-use planning, climate adaptation plans, and youth employment programmes.