Improved Agricultural Practices – Imperative for Sustainable Food Security in Changing Environment

Food is an indispensable and an important factor in nation‘s quest for economic growth and development. In Nigeria, most of the food need is produced by the peasant farmers who clinged to their traditional farm practices. Most of our farming lands are depleted of their fertility and cannot produce as much as they did years ago. Changes in climatic patterns have fundamentally affected agricultural production; farmers are experiencing the effect of climate change as in some parts, rains are coming earlier than before while in others, rains are coming later. Therefore, to combat this low in soil fertility and climate change effect on food production, farmers have to embrace strategies for improved yields especially location specific of sustainable agricultural intensification such as Good Agronomic Practices (GAP). GAP is practice that involved environmental, economical and social sustainability for agricultural processes and results in high quality food products. GAP involves selection of appropriate site, preparation of land on time and to the right standard, managing water resources, selection of suitable planting materials, sowing at the require time and depth, maintenance of soil fertility and application of fertilizer at the require rate and time, weeding at the require time and maintenance of quality to meet market value. Researchers have shown that GAP increase yield and market value tremendously. Therefore, it is important to sensitize farmers and create awareness on the benefits associated with improved agricultural practices so as to ensure sustainable food security.