Background
Agriculture is arguably the oldest occupation and it serves as the basis for human sustenance. The burgeoning human population places much demand on agriculture and its practitioners; necessitating concerns for creating an enabling environment for the world’s agri-food system. Hence, agricultural policy is a part of the human system and governance.
With the proliferation of agricultural enterprises, stakeholders/practitioners also blossomed and likewise rules, regulations and support in the form of policies. The link between agriculture and food security invariably emphasizes the importance of agricultural policies as a pedestal for societal stability while directly impinging on livelihoods, health and other sectors of the economy. The need for the roles of all stakeholders as they interact and utilize agricultural policies cannot be overstated if the policies are to work for all in achieving desired goals.
About PiLAF
The Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security (CePLAF) was established in 2020 as one of the three centres of policy leadership in Africa. These Centres are part of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security, Policy, Research, Capacity and Influence (PRCI) project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with Michigan state University (MSU) as the Lab Lead.
PiLAF is a product of collaboration between the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL) and the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development (DAERD) both in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. PiLAF aims to engage and coordinate agricultural policy processes in Nigeria while establishing a model that can be applied in any sphere of human endeavour. Policies will be studied for their impacts and otherwise, from the perspectives of every stakeholder group. The data generated will be distilled by professionals to develop holistic strands of policy elements that can serve to produce efficient agricultural workspace for the sustenance of agricultural production, food and nutrition security.
PiLAF will engage researchers of agriculture and related disciplines, stakeholders across agricultural value chains in private and public sectors, as well as policy makers from various tiers of government. Evidence based information will be presented in the form of policy statements as an advocacy effort to communicate stakeholders’ preferences. Research-based policy briefs and publications will display best practices and demonstrate convincing dividends of this participatory policy development.
Given the complex nature of the entire policy process, PiLAF will be strategic in prioritizing its focus.
Vision
To be a world class centre of excellence in agricultural and food security policy that promotes best practices in participatory policy process.
Mission Statement
To promote inclusive agricultural and food security policy through research, capacity development and influence that enhances effective and sustainable agri- food systems in Nigeria and the rest of Africa
Objectives
The core objective of PiLAF is to influence the agricultural policy process through research, capacity development and effective collaboration among all stakeholders along the agri-food system. The specific objectives of the Centre include but are not limited to:
- Enhancing the effectiveness of agricultural policy process and influencing agri-food systems that will ensure food and nutrition security in Nigeria
- creating linkages and broadening interactions among agricultural researchers, policy makers and all other relevant actors to ensure inclusion of field realities in the policy process
- actively engaging the government at all levels and other stakeholders within the policy space to achieve result-oriented policy development and implementation
- embarking on evidence based policy research to provide sustainable solutions to agricultural and food security challenges confronting the nation
- collaborating with all actors and stakeholders along the agricultural value chain to drive policy advocacy for sustainable, inclusive and healthy agri-food system transformation
- facilitating stakeholders’ capacity development through sensitization, training, media consultation and advocacy
- promoting policy implementation and adoption process among key policy actors and users along the agricultural value-chain
- Achieving agricultural policy reforms through inclusive and participatory evaluation of existing policies along the agricultural value chain and generation of critical inputs needed to fill missing links
Core Focus
- Agriculture & Food Trade
- Energy & Agricultural Productivity
- Gender & Health Issues in Agriculture
- Agriculture and its related infrastructure
- Youth in Agriculture
- Contemporary issues in agriculture
Membership
PiLAF has a broad spectrum of partners including individuals and organisations. Fellows and Associates are nominated and appointed by PiLAF’s management committee. These include individuals and organisations with strong pedigree in the field of agriculture, food security and other related fields.
Operational Activities
Research
We play a strong and active role in agricultural policy research and analysis, which takes a multidisciplinary approach to addressing major and contemporary issues relevant to the agri-food system. The findings from these studies will increase the level of debate in the entire policy process; advance the frontiers of knowledge within the agricultural policy space and translate into sustainable development of the agricultural sector.
Training
We are committed to facilitating stakeholders’ capacity development through regular meetings, workshops, sensitization and advocacy activities, leading to a robust understanding of the entire policy process across the agricultural value chain. Training needs are identified through stakeholders’ engagement in order to facilitate a focused and strategic approach to meeting such needs. This will in the long-run promote the development of inclusive and sustainable agricultural policies relevant to all policy actors.
Outreach
We engage Stakeholders through conferences, seminars, field days and tours among others to access field based information and disseminate findings of various research activities conducted at PiLAF. Furthermore, research findings targeted at different stakeholders are presented as policy briefs, publications, media reports and other appropriate channels of information dissemination. Visitations are also made to relevant organisations and governmental MDAs while advocacy outreaches are made to adopted rural communities and appropriate organs in the nation’s policy corridor.