A food biotechnologist, Morufat Li-Hammed, has called for the introduction of innovative farming techniques like hydroponics to African farmers to boost agricultural productivity.
In a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Friday, Li-Hammed made the call at a recent webinar hosted by the Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Network Development Foundation.
The researcher recognized the need for awareness and education for African farmers on hydroponics and its potential to transform farming in Africa. She stated that technology such as hydroponics helps address the challenges of food security, land scarcity, and climate change and helps boost agricultural productivity.
She said, "Hydroponics is not a new concept. Early civilizations like the Babylonians and Aztecs used water-based growing methods. Scientific advancements in the 19th and 20th centuries helped develop hydroponic nutrient solutions, and by the 1940s, the U.S. military was using hydroponics to grow food in remote areas."
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