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Tag: Food security

  • Food security and Southwest governors

    Food security and Southwest governors

    Insecurity, lack of forex and low domestic production are said to have pushed prices of food up across the country leading to protests by youths and workers. Some state governors have been reported to have stormed Abuja headquarters of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to push for increased crop production to ensure food security in Nigeria. Those governors especially those from the southwest have failed their people. They have a template set for them since the First Republic. But rather than do the hard work, they seem to be more interested in building bridges over land in their state capitals or airports even when there are no roads to the airports. This piece below first published on September 6, 2017 captures the embarrassing position of governors of the Yoruba nation.

    Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be servant of all” – Jesus Christ (Mark 10:43)

    Last week, tomatoes and vegetables disappeared from Lagos markets. This was attributed to disruption in the regular flow of some food items from the north to the south by the Sallah holiday. Our inability to feed ourselves 17 years into the fourth republic is perhaps a clear manifestation of deficit of Christ’s defined attributes of servant-leadership among some of our clowning Southwest ‘activists’, the ‘constituted authority and ‘Oshokomole – Ebora tin je jollof’ governors who behave and act as if they are beyond reproach or that leadership is about being hailed by sycophants, thugs and Okada commercial motorcyclists.

    But it has not always been like this. We were once blessed with selfless leaders and role models with templates for developmental strategies that did not only guarantee self-sufficiency in food production but promises of a more just, egalitarian society. We remember with nostalgia the selfless services of leaders like Obafemi Awolowo, S. L. Akintola, Anthony Enahoro, Oduola Osuntokun Abraham Adesanya, and their other colleagues who left a lasting legacy in education, health, housing and agriculture with judicious management of the little resources available to them. Their second republic successors such as Olabisi Victor Onabanjo, Lateef Jakande, Bola Ige, Ambrose Alli and Adekunle Ajasin who as governor, refused to spend N50, 000 to fix a leaking government house claiming Ondo State could not afford the luxury at the time, followed the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors by providing quality service to their people. The fourth republic threw up Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Niyi Adebayo, Segun Osoba and Pa Bisi Akande who, like Jakande used his personal car as official car until the state forced him to abandon it. Like their predecessors, they selflessly served the people and we today remember them with melancholy.

    The crisis of leadership in the West started in 2003 when Obasanjo under his dubious mainstreaming policy decided to impose leaders on the West. He was to become a godfather to the likes of Lucky Igbinedion, Segun Agagu, Ayo Fayose, Segun Oni, Gbenga Daniel and Olagunsoye Oyinlola as well as other ambitious individuals such as journalists, academics and other professionals who, following their losses in the primary elections of their parties, were seduced by Obasanjo federal government’s offer of funds, security and vehicles to destabilize southwest.

    Obasanjo’s hand-picked leaders as it turned out, unlike their predecessors, served none but themselves. Igbinedion left Benin City after eight years in office like a war-torn city. Fayose traded a College of Medicine for a fraudulent poultry farm during his first coming; Oni took Ekiti through three years of nightmare while fighting to keep a mandate the courts finally ruled he never won. His major legacy includes foisting three universities, including the one sited in his village on Ekiti that had no resources to effectively run one. Olagunsoye Oyinlola who admitted to a judicial commission of inquiry of awarding and paying in advance contractors to build stadia around some towns in Osun State and Gbenga Daniel who went around Ogun State with ex-President Jonathan commissioning uncompleted and yet to take off projects.

    With Obasanjo’s humiliating defeat by Tinubu, some of the immediate and current leadership which represents the mainstream southwest political orientation were expected to have taken after their first and second and republic forbearers. Unfortunately they seem to have found their shoes too big.

    Let us start with Ekiti, the land of honour. Fayemi no doubt made some impact in education and social welfare. But with Ekiti State as the 35th out of 36th on the nation’s revenue ladder, diverting N2.7b of the N25 billion bond his administration secured from the capital market to build a grandiose government house because the then ‘Osuntokun Lodge lacked many facilities befitting of the residence of a governor and therefore very inferior’ to other government houses in the country was indefensible when his government could have rehabilitated the run-down Ikun Dairy farm established by Ajasin in the second republic as part of solution to a geographical region that depends on other geographical zones for the 10,000 heads of cow it consumes daily.

    Rauf Aregbesola, after retrieving his stolen mandate through the courts had enjoyed tremendous support and goodwill of the people, all of which he seems to have frittered away because of his leadership style. Although he swears by Awo’s name, he appears to be his own role model. His rather insensitive comment about the state of mind of Ademola Adeleke who recently defeated his APC candidate in the Osun South Senatorial District by-election after rightly reminding Ede people that the senatorial seat was not hereditary seem to confirm the fears of those who argue Aregbesola has been wearing a shoe bigger than his leg.

    Abiola Ajimobi during his first term, keyed into Buhari’s green alternative initiative which focuses on commercial agriculture development programme, by allocating tractors, planters and harvesters to each of the 33 local government areas. Most of those equipment are however said to have either been sold off or mismanaged by past caretaker chairmen while he as ‘the constituted authority’ battles those who put him in power especially students of Oyo State tertiary institutions who have been out of schools for the greater part of the year and their civil servants and pensioners parents who have not been paid for several months.

    Read Also: Time has preserved Awo’s principles, legacies – Tinubu

    Ajimobi who started well is also today enmeshed in Ibadan traditional chieftaincy controversy as he apes ill-informed military men who unilaterally made kings out of ‘Baales’ as he creates, by fiat, kings with crowns and sceptres without kingdoms.

    While Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on his part is striving to turn his state to number one industrial hub in Nigeria with plans to build airport before 2019, two years to the end of his second four years term, his plan towards agriculture that will lead to industrialisation remains a plan. In any case, since people have to eat before the transformation of agriculture from commercialization to industrialization, keying into the Buhari agriculture initiatives designed to achieve food security, alleviate rural poverty and end hunger ought to be the starting point.

    If leadership, as Sun Tzu, (Chinese General, and 544–496BC) has said “is a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and discipline”, a well-focused Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos who operates as a servant rather than a ‘constituted authority’ better appropriates the virtues of his forbearers. After insisting “there is no alternative to achieving food security other than tilling the land and embrace best practices that will improve efficiency in the agricultural value chain”, he has in practical terms sealed a landmark partnership with Kebbi State government for the development of agricultural commodities such as rice, wheat, groundnut, onion, maize and beef value chain. His government has also acquired 500 hectares of farm land for rice cultivation in Eggua, Ogun State, 84.7 hectares at Okinni in Osogbo for oil palm processing

  • Ogun seeks pest control to secure food security

    Ogun seeks pest control to secure food security

    For Nigeria to attain food security, there is the need for proper pest control on agricultural produce during production and storage stages by stakeholders in the value chain.

    Ogun Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya stated this while declaring open a workshop with the theme “Modern Pest-Management Practice in Environmental Health” put together by the state Ministry of Environment, in conjunction with the Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN).

    Read Also: Pest controllers to mark World Pest Day with tennis tourney

    He said until the stakeholders put their heads together to fashion out acceptable pest control mechanism that will take into consideration our cultural and environmental health values, the possibility of attaining food security maybe delayed.

    He recommended the use of biological pest control instead of the popular chemical pest control as they have risks inherent in their importation and application.

  • 72,000 tractors needed to enhance food security, says minister

    72,000 tractors needed to enhance food security, says minister

    • ‘Smuggling, flooding, others causes of food crisis’
    • Customs intercepts 120 food-laden trucks at border

    Nigeria needs at least 72,000 tractors for farmers to engage in mechanised farming and contribute massively to curbing the food crisis facing the populace, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Abubakar Kyari, has said.

    Kyari, at a sectoral debate organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja yesterday, revealed that only about  5,000 tractors are currently in working condition at farmlands across the country.

    He, however, said that the ministry has signed an agreement with a manufacturer for the supply of  2,000 tractors annually for the next five years.

    The minister spoke just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC)  and the Nigeria Customs  Service(NCS)      announced the arrest of 141 trucks heading out of the country with loaded smuggled food items.

    Making his presentation before the House plenary, the  Agriculture minister said the rising food crisis in the country was due mainly to smuggling, flooding, COVID-19, insecurity and last year’s cash swap by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN).

    He, however,  said that long, medium and short-term measures, including funding for wheat, rice and cassava production, have been initiated to address the challenge.

    Kyari explained that while the Naira redesign/cash swap policy left smallholder farmers without cash for cultivation in 2022/2023,  flooding destroyed farmlands across the country.

    He said the good news is that  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently gave his ministry a marching order to release grains from the National Strategic Grain Reserve and to adopt other measures to address food insecurity.

    The minister added that the government, in partnership with the World Food Programme, halted mass procurement of grains for stockpiling in order to stabilise food prices.

    Also,  NCS Comptroller-General   Adewale Adeniyi told the House that President Tinubu directed that 120 trucks arrested by the Service be driven to nearby markets where their contents should be sold to locals at moderate prices.

    He, however, did not say where the trucks were heading to and when they were seized.    

    The Customs boss decried the attitude of border community residents who encourage the smuggling of grains.   

     Adeniyi advised against adopting quick-fix solutions to the nation’s food crisis, saying that long-term measures must be put in place.

    The Customs boss, who said that border posts would soon be reopened, added that the NCS and the government were working on a policy for the export of food items through designated terminals. 

     He also announced that the ban on petrol stations operating within 20 kilometres to  Nigeria’s borders was being reviewed.

    House Deputy  Speaker  Benjamin Kalu said that efforts to address  food crisis must focus on demand and supply.

     Kalu said he had personally identified increasing per capita consumption, raising production yields, curbing food price inflation and reducing reliance on food imports as critical levers for improving food security. 

    He said: “It is evident that Nigeria’s per capita consumption falls behind that of other countries, indicating a clear need for increased diversification to stimulate consumption.

    “Moreover, the lower yields attributable to input scarcity underscore the urgency of improving access to timely, high-quality, and affordable inputs such as fertilisers, modern irrigation methods, and mechanization.

    Read Also: Address issues of food security, Reps tell FG

    “Food inflation, a persistent challenge, reached a staggering 35.41 percent in January. This places an immense burden on our working population, with 90 percent allocating around 60 percent of their income to meet their basic food needs, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

     “This harsh reality is further compounded by the alarming projections for 2024. The number of food-insecure individuals is expected to reach 26.5 million, with 9 million children at risk of acute malnutrition. Of these, 2.6 million children face the threat of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), requiring critical nutrition treatment.

     “Agriculture, a crucial sector representing 23 percent  of our GDP and employing 51 percent of the workforce, should be the bedrock of our food security. However, a harsh reality confronts us.

    The past decade has seen an intensification of insecurity in the North East, coupled with rife fighting in the North Central and banditry in the North West. These conflicts have had a catastrophic impact on food production, particularly amongst our vast farming communities.

     “According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 90 percent  of food produced in Nigeria comes from rural farmers. The rife insecurity in these regions has steadily contributed to a shrinking cultivated arable land area and declining farm yields.

     “This is not the future we envision for our nation. We must act decisively to address these challenges and ensure food security for all Nigerians. Let us now delve deeper into the specific issues and explore potential solutions.”

  • S’West governors tasked on food security

    S’West governors tasked on food security

    A Socio-Political group, the Progressive Movement has canvassed collaboration among the six Southwestern governors to ensure food security and economic prosperity of the region.

    The group said the high cost of living in the country presents a good opportunity for the southwestern states to synergise and develop the agricultural sector for food sufficiency.

    The group, in a communique signed by the Coordinator, Comrade Sola Adigun added that the region was abundantly blessed with huge agricultural potential to drive economic development as well as improve food security.

    It implored the governors to take advantage of the abundance of arable lands, fertile soil, and favourable weather, and maximize the numerous potentials in agriculture not only to feed the people of the region but also to export for income generation.

    The group also urged the various state governments to prioritize rural roads and those leading to the farmsteads for easy access for farmers and transportation of farm produce to the markets.

    Read Also: Emefiele moves out of CBN Gov’s quarters in Lagos

    The communique reads in part, “The high cost of food prevalent today worsened the economic hardship and it is more heightened by the challenge of banditry that had invaded our forest, destroying farmland and chasing farmers away without any respite.

    “We are convinced that with the improved collaboration of the governors, resolving these issues is very possible because the region has the advantage of about eight months annual rainfall, arable land, and numerous agriculture research institutes.”

    “We also called for improved networking among officials of the Western Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps to provide security for the wide expanse of forest in the region allegedly occupied by bandits and other criminal-minded elements.

  • Address issues of food security, Reps tell FG

    Address issues of food security, Reps tell FG

    The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to improve short-term food subsidies and assistance to farmers to boost food production and improve supply chain control to reduce wastage and short-term price control.

    As its contribution to addressing issues of food security in the country, the House resolved to hold a National Food Security and Nutrition Summit to address the current shortage of food and nutrition to find lasting solutions to the food crises facing the country.

    This followed a motion on the rising food scarcity in the country and the need for urgent remedial measures by the government to address the situation sponsored by Chike Okafor (APC, Imo).

    Okafor said: “As we approach the farming season, it is imperative that we take immediate action to avert a worsening crisis and ensure the availability of food and the well-being of our citizens.

    “The current state of food scarcity in Nigeria poses a grave threat to the health and livelihoods of millions of Nigerians as insufficient access to nutritious food not only leads to hunger and malnutrition but also exacerbates existing health conditions and undermines the overall development of our nation.

    Read Also: Reps set to probe non-compliance to safety standards, failed digital switchover

    “It is worthy to note that the Rainy and farming season is fast approaching, and the looming specter of food shortages looms large.

    “Without adequate remedial measures in place, we risk plunging our country into deeper turmoil, with far-reaching social, economic, and political implications, hence the need for a purposeful gathering and more government import waivers for farming and agricultural equipment in Nigeria.

    “Nutrition and Food is the most important existential challenge in Nigeria today, because 24.9 Million Nigerians are presently in an acute/critical stage of hunger, and this is considered to be an emergency, while 85.8 Million Nigerians have insufficient food consumption and out of this number, 47.7 Million Nigerians have a crisis or above crisis level in terms of food-based survival margin.”

    He expressed concern that peaceful protests are taking place now in some states with citizens groaning due to hunger and demanding immediate government intervention.

    He said the government needs to increase resources to support smallholder farmers and agrarian communities, ensuring they have the necessary inputs, tools, and infrastructure to enhance food production through short-term subsidies as the government continues to strengthen the existing food distribution networks and mechanisms to ensure equitable access to essential food items across all regions of the country.

    Contributing to the motion, Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) said President Bola Tinubu was already doing so much about food security in the country as contained in his renewed hope agenda.

    Kalu said despite what the government is doing, there was a need to do more by equipping the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as providing feeder roads for farmers to transport their produce to the market.

    He also called for the reintroduction of composition boards to buy over agricultural produce from the farmers, adding that once the farmers are sure of selling their crops, food production will increase.

    He commended the governor of Niger state, Mohammed Bago who he described as a good export of the House to the Executive, for taking the lead in encouraging food production in Niger state while asking other governors to emulate his example.

  • ‘Make laws to enhance food security, fortification’

    ‘Make laws to enhance food security, fortification’

    To address the growing hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition across the country, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) has called on the National Assembly to emplace necessary legal frameworks.

    It also advocated the need for the government to start feeding the workforce, once daily, with fortified meals to address certain deficiencies that fuel malnutrition.

    CISLAC made the call at a retreat for members of the National Assembly (NASS) it organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Third-party Advocacy Campaign (TPAC in partnership with the NASS).

    Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), noted that many Nigerians were experiencing food insecurity and malnutrition, especially children, women and vulnerable groups.

    Musa said the situation required coordinated efforts, guided by thorough policy dialogues and swift action. According to him, it is crucial for economic progress and the overall health of the nation to have effective plans in place to guarantee that working individuals and families can access healthy food.

    Read Also; Wigwe: Death is full of hubris

    He said: “In 2023, the Global Hunger Index ranked Nigeria 109th out of 125 countries, indicating serious hunger levels. An estimated 26.5 million Nigerians are projected to face acute hunger in 2024, a stark increase from previous years.

    “A resilient and sustainable food system is the cornerstone of food security and can address most of our malnutrition problems.

    “There is an urgent need to promote bio-fortification of staple crops like cassava and orange sweet potato with essential vitamins to address deficiencies directly in the food itself.

    “Ensuring fortified staples remain culturally acceptable and affordable for low-income populations is crucial, requiring sensitivity to taste, price, and traditional food preparation methods. Effective quality control systems are needed to ensure consistent nutrient content and consumer safety, often requiring infrastructure and technical expertise.

    “Promoting adoption of climate-smart technologies, improved seeds, and sustainable practices to enhance productivity and resilience provides small holder farmers with inputs and financing to boost production and market access, with a focus on key staples,” he added.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration and Control, Mrs. Regina Akume, emphasised the need for food security through nutritional fortification action in improving the overall health and economic wellbeing of the Nigerian workforce.

    She called on stakeholders in the food production and supply chain to take the lead in investing in research, technology and infrastructure to bolster the production and fortification of the country’s staple foods with essential micronutrients to combat malnutrition in Nigeria.

    Mrs. Akume noted that farmers had been forced to leave due to insecurity, and they’ve attempted to address the broader issues of insecurity.

    “The development of a robust legislative framework and policy on nutritional fortification of our staple foods with essential micronutrients will give the advocacy and legal backing that will strengthen and ensure institutionalised and systemic compliance within the three concept of food fortification, workforce nutrition and sustainable food system in the country’s food industry,” she added.

    Senior Advisor, Food Security and Nutrition, GAIN, Dr Adeyinka Onabolu said food insecurity was linked to many health and social problems including malnutrition difficulties managing diabetes, impaired development in childhood and reduced school performance for children.

    She said her organisation conducted a research which showed 79 per cent of the sampled households were moderately food insecure while 22 per cent were severely food insecure.

    “There are significant food safety challenges across the food system domain. Most investments in food safety have been for food exports, most times the vulnerable group are the most complicated challenge around food safety,” she said.

  • Food security: We will become a net exporter of food, says Tinubu

    Food security: We will become a net exporter of food, says Tinubu

    • President hosts Global Tijaniyya Movement

    President Bola Tinubu has said his administration’s agricultural plan is focused on expanding food production through aggressive mechanised farming and make Nigeria a net food exporting country.

    The President said this when he hosted a delegation from the Global Tijaniyya Movement, led by Khalifa Muhammad Mahe Niass, at the State House yesterday in Abuja.

    President Tinubu said his administration was revolutionising agriculture to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production and a net exporter of agricultural products.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted President Tinubu as saying his administration would support plans and efforts to ensure that pilgrims to Saudi Arabia do not face hardship.

    The President emphasised the essence of spiritual endeavours in nation-building, underscoring his administration’s commitment to supporting religious activities.

    He said there was a need for collaboration between political and spiritual leaders to advance the nation’s interests and promote unity among the people.

    Highlighting his administration’s plans for the agriculture and other sectors, President Tinubu outlined plans to bolster agricultural productivity through various initiatives, including the expansion of farmlands, the provision of low-interest loans to farmers, and significant investments in irrigation infrastructure.

    “We are dedicated to equipping hospitals with modern equipment, providing healthcare professionals with training, and ensuring social welfare for every citizen, including comprehensive health insurance coverage.

    Read Also: Food security: We’ll become a net exporter of food – Tinubu

    “Nigeria will become a net exporter of food. We are bringing thousands of tractors. Food production will be greatly expanded through aggressive mechanisation.

    “We must be productive as a people. That is the Sunnah and the principles I grew up understanding,” he said.

    President Tinubu thanked the Global Tijaniyya Movement for their support and prayers, emphasising the importance of collective efforts in building a better Nigeria.

    Responding on behalf of the delegation, the Khalifa of Tijaniyya, Sheikh Mahe Niass, hailed President Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s peace, progress, and stability.

    He expressed confidence in the President’s leadership and conveyed the fervent support and prayers of members of the Global Tijaniyya Movement to the Nigerian leader.

    During their visit, the delegation offered prayers for the nation’s progress, unity and prosperity, and for Almighty Allah to grant President Tinubu wisdom, strength, and success.

  • Role of research and development in food security

    Role of research and development in food security

    SIR: Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa has a total land area of 910,770 sq. km with an estimated population of 200million people. The country is blessed with both human and mineral resources not only that but also has favourable climate, good weather condition, water resources and arable lands.

    It is a paradox that with all of these resources bestowed upon the nation, many people still die of starvation. The stark reality is that majority of Nigerians cannot afford three square meals a day.

     Every day, the prices of foodstuffs keep increasing at an astronomical rate. At the same time, our local currency has been devalued making its purchasing power to be low. It is no longer news that our country is currently experiencing food crisis. Recall that successive administrations had one time or the other embarked on some laudable agricultural initiatives in an attempt to achieve food security in the country. These included but not limited to the establishment of 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAS) in all the six geopolitical zones, Establishment of the Directorate of Foods, Roads and Rural Infrastructures (DFRRI) in all the 774 Local Government Areas.

    However, the success of these laudable programs was hindered due to poor co-ordination, lack of political will, policy somersault and lack of involvement of beneficiaries in project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

    Today, our food security is being threatened by climate change, urbanization, population explosion, flood, insecurity and farmers/herders clashes to mention but just a few.

    The question now is: what can our nation do to achieve food security? The last two decades have proved that research and development can play a significant role in achieving food security. There is a lot of quality research in the country that is not finding its way into industries. Recall that during the administration of former president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, cassava bread was produced. Some scientists carried out a research and came up with the idea of mixing cassava flour with wheat flour unfortunately, the idea was jettisoned along the line due to lack of political will. This idea could have saved the country substantial amount of foreign exchange. Ukraine supplies the rest of the world with wheat unfortunately, there is a war going on between Ukraine and Russia. Wheat is now very expensive not only that but also difficult to come by. It is regrettable to say that African leaders do not pay much attention to Research and Development.

    Recall that two decades ago, there was Abuja declaration that required African leaders to invest two percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Research and Development but this has never happened in Nigeria.

    Read Also: Political farmers threat to food security, says governor

    My concern is that we are not getting our priorities right. We do prefer to waste our resources on things that are irrelevant rather than expending it on education.

    For instance, non-availability of data has been a serious challenge in this country. There is need for us to generate data on soil quality, water quality, rainfall pattern, weather condition and data on application and distribution of fertilizers. This is to enable us make informed decisions. Our universities are supposed to generate credible data for policy makers unfortunately, our public universities are poorly funded; not only that but also they do not have well equipped functional laboratories where they could carry out meaningful research. Apart from the universities, there are international research organizations that do carry out research on tropical crops. These include the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan (IITA), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Rome and the United Nations Food Program in Geneva. Through research, scientists have been able to produce varieties of corns, tomatoes, rice and wheat through the application of genetic engineering. It is also important to mention here that most of the raw materials that are being employed in our various industries are products of research. For instance, “Ethanol” which is produced from cassava and corn is being used as raw materials in most of the industries as well research laboratories as “solvent”. There are quite a lot of research activities that are being carried out at the IITA where scientists are busy working on various tropical crops like cassava, yam and potatoes.

    I would like to implore our African leaders to ensure that the 2% GDP Abuja declaration which is required to be invested in Research and Development be implemented without further delay. I would also like to suggest that the African Union consider setting up a regional research and development centre in Addis – Ababa, Ethiopia.

    • Oladele Oladipupo, oladipuposaka@yahoo.com
  • Food security driver of economic sustainability – Adeleke

    Food security driver of economic sustainability – Adeleke

    A human security expert, Adebayo Adeleke, has said ensuring food security is not just about preventing negative outcomes; it is also about creating positive, sustainable economic growth. 

    According to him, it has to do with different steps including and not limited to boosting agricultural productivity, diversifying the economy, improving health outcomes, enhancing social stability and strengthening rural economies.

    “By adopting modern agricultural practices, investing in technology, and providing adequate extension services, Nigeria can significantly increase its agricultural productivity. This would not only ensure a stable food supply but also create jobs, reduce poverty, and drive economic growth,” he said.

    “A focus on food security can help diversify Nigeria’s economy away from its dependence on oil. By developing the agricultural sector, Nigeria can create a more resilient and balanced economy.

    Read Also:

    “A well-nourished population is healthier and more productive. Reducing malnutrition can lower healthcare costs and increase the overall productivity of the workforce, contributing to economic growth.

    “When people have access to sufficient and nutritious food, social stability improves. This creates a conducive environment for economic activities and attracts investment.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu leads southwest back to farm for food security

    “Investing in rural infrastructure, such as roads and storage facilities, can reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access for farmers. This strengthens rural economies and reduces urban migration pressures.”

    According to him, above research and others led to him going into a project tagged ‘The Nigeria Food Security Project (NFSP)’, a pivotal initiative that addresses the pressing issue of food insecurity in Nigeria while also proffering solutions to them.

  • Govt seeks collaboration with agro dealers on food security

    Govt seeks collaboration with agro dealers on food security

    Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has sought the collaboration of agro dealers to strengthen production so as to achieve food security.

    Kyari, who made the call during a courtesy visit by the President, Nigerian Agro Input Dealers Association, (NAIDA), Alhaji Kabir Fara, charged the association to come up with policies and programmes that would see to how adulteration of products can be mitigated.

    Read Also: Lagos, Amo Farm partner on food security

    He emphasised the need for the association to sell only certified and approved products sourced from the registered Input producers.   He pointed out that the essence of the collaboration was to ensure that products supplied meet with the prescribed set standards in terms of quality and quantity to ensure food sufficiency.

     Earlier, Fara stated that the association sensitizes farmers to buy their inputs from established approved centers.

    He said NAIDA is an umbrella of input distributors in Nigeria to farmers, including Fertilizers, organic and inorganic, seeds, petrol chemicals and farm implements.

    He added that the association was a structured national body with six zonal Vice presidents and state chapter chairman, with their names and contact with the Ministry to ensure synergy at the grass root and are committed to ensure that agric business is no longer business as usual.