The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, has charged Nigerian Engineers to deploy their expertise, creativity and technological ingenuity towards transforming the nation’s agricultural sector and advancing the country’s quest to achieve zero hunger.
Engr. Rabiu gave the charge on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the opening ceremony of the NSE Abuja Branch Engineering Week in Abuja. He was represented at the occasion by the Deputy President of NSE, Engr. Valerie Ifueko Agberagba.
The NSE President commended the theme of the Branch’s Engineering Week Lecture, “Engineering Resilience: Transforming Agricultural Value Chain Technological Integration in Modern Agriculture for National Food Security in Nigeria – Engineering the Path to Zero Hunger,” describing it as timely and highly relevant to one of the most fundamental imperatives of national development, food security.
According to him, food is fundamental to human dignity, national stability, public health and social prosperity, stressing that a nation that cannot guarantee adequate, affordable and nutritious food for its citizens remains vulnerable to economic hardship, social instability and other developmental challenges.
He therefore called on Engineers to bring their professional knowledge to bear on the transformation of agriculture through innovative, practical and locally adaptable technologies.
“We must deploy engineering innovation to develop appropriate mechanisation technologies, smart irrigation systems, renewable energy solutions, efficient storage facilities, cold-chain infrastructure, digital agricultural platforms and modern processing systems capable of reducing post-harvest losses and increasing the value of agricultural production,” he said.
The Guest Lecturer and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Engr. Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, FNSE, represented by a Director in the Ministry, Engr. Taiye Samaila Tehinse, FNSE, also underscored the urgent need for engineering innovations to accelerate food production and transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
He stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation could not be imported, noting that the country must develop and deploy home-grown technologies and solutions that respond to its unique agricultural realities and challenges.
According to him, there is an urgent need to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian engineers to translate innovative ideas from the laboratory into practical applications in the field.
He maintained that such a deliberate approach would ensure that investments in agricultural technology and innovation deliver measurable value, improve productivity and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s quest for food security.