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.
In a bid to influence the agricultural policy landscape in Nigeria, PiLAF was established in 2020 as one of three Centres for Policy Leadership (CPLs) in Africa.
The Innovation Lab for Policy Leadership in Agriculture and Food Security (PiLAF) 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 endeavor. 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 an efficient agricultural workspace for the sustenance of agricultural production, food, and nutrition security.
In partnership with the Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigeria (ADAN), PiLAF established the Policy Influence Committees (PIC) to engage universities, especially agricultural faculties, in shaping agrarian policy with evidence-based research. This initiative aims to ensure that researchers inform and guide policy decisions.
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.
