September 8, 2024

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Food Security

FG inaugurates coordinating unit on food security, cost

By Salisu Sani-Idris

Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Friday inaugurated the Presidential Food System Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), with a mandate to improve food security and crash the cost of food items in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration of the unit was held at the presidential villa Abuja.

This followed a presentation by the Technical Assistant to the President of Agriculture, Office of the Vice-President, Marion Moon.

Shettima said: ” the nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with reality, the better.

“Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment and this is why all hands have to be on deck.

“We are in a food security crisis but it also provides us the opportunity to re-engineer and reposition the nation on a firmer footing.”

Shettima, who noted the unit was not created to usurp the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture, said the urgency and seriousness of the matter at hand requires the ideas and resources of all stakeholders.

He made reference to the Green Imperative Programme, a government-catalyzed, private sector-driven, agricultural industrialisation programme, as one initiative which the PFSCU must activate and operationalize.

He stated that with improved farming practices, improved seeds, use of fertilizers, Nigeria’s agricultural productivity could be turned around for the better.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, explained that the unit would coordinate all agricultural activities and the food system among the three tiers of government.

Kyari added that the unit, which membership cut across the three tiers of government, would report to the presidential economic coordinating council which is under the chairmanship of President Bola Tinubu.

Also, Gov. Umar Namadi of Jigawa State, said the inauguration of the unit was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Tinubu and the agenda of all governors.

” So I think the issue of food security is now being taken seriously and I’m sure with this committee a lot of things will be achieved.

“And I’m sure with this result now, though in our respective states we are representing in our regions and we know in our regional meetings at the state level we will be able to implement what has been decided in the coordinating unit.

“And the outcome of this will be very important because at a small holder the farmer will be assisted and also mechanisation and irrigation issues will come up.

” And these are the major things we need to do to boost agriculture in this country and I think what we are doing at our state level, now we are going to be encouraged and things will work better for Nigerians.”

On his part, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, expressed concern over increasing cost of food items in the country.

Zulum particularly said that non-availability of food items was a matter of great concern to all governors.

He emphasised the need for a coordinated approach, citing low productivity and population growth as a major challenge to the nation’s food security drive.

He called for investment in commercial agriculture, improved funding, and enhanced security for farmers.

Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River State, said the state was looking to feed the country, adding that his government must modernize agriculture to feed the population.

“We are an agrarian state, and we have stepped up our game,” Otu noted.

Gov. Mohammed Bago of Niger, proposed his state as a pilot for the President’s food security initiative.

He revealed that Niger has invested over N100 billion in agricultural mechanization, with 5,000 tractors and 20 pilot irrigation systems available.

Bago called for support from the federal government, World Bank, and other development partners to ensure the success of these initiatives.

The Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Patricia Obila, also spoke on the state’s unique topography and its potential to enhance its renowned Ebonyi Rice production.

She noted the need to introduce tractor mechanization to ensure year-round production and leverage youth participation by incentivizing agriculture with farm settlements equipped with necessary social amenities. (NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Food Security

FG, agric donor group partner on food security

By Akpan Glory

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security says it is collaborating with the Agriculture Donor Working Group (ADWG), a consortium of development partners, to promote food security in the country.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Temitope Fashedemi, made this announcement at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

The theme of the forum was “Strengthening Ministerial Capacity on the Use of Innovation to Catalyse Commodity Value Chain Development.”

Fashedemi was represented by Mr Ibrahim Taminu, Director of Planning and Policy Coordination at the ministry.

“The goal is to engage you to facilitate the necessary technical and financial support that can assist the Department of Reform Coordination, Service Improvement, and Innovation in achieving improved agricultural productivity.

“It is also to accelerate the attainment of ministerial agriculture targets from 2024-2027 to address the food security challenges in the country,” he said.

Dr Mustapha Popoola, Special Assistant to the Minister, outlined the key focus areas driving innovative solutions in Nigeria’s agri-food sector during his presentation.

“The focus areas include the development and delivery of innovative solutions to address post-harvest losses, aiming to reduce these losses in the priority commodity value chains.

“Capacity strengthening of departments and agencies is essential to enhance support for a culture of innovative thinking across the technical work stream of the FMAFS, especially in the commodity value chain.”

Popoola also highlighted other initiatives such as innovation competitions, entrepreneurship development in agro-allied activities aimed at training and certifying retiring civil servants to thrive in the agri-food space.

“We are developing and deploying value chain innovation platforms at research institutes and colleges under the ministry’s supervision,’’ he said.

He listed some of the priority commodity value chains as rice, onions, pepper, mangoes, beans, ginger, plantain, oranges, vegetables and aquaculture.

Popoola said that the summit was specifically aimed at women, youths, and retiring civil servants to educate and train them in the agricultural sector.

In his remark, Koffy Kouacou, the representative of Food and Agriculture Organisation, pledged continued support for Nigeria in the agricultural sector.

Jazmian Allen, Co-chair Donor Working Group, also pledged continuous partnership towards achieving food security in Nigeria. (NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Agriculture , Food Security

Lagos inaugurates meat shops, butchers academy to revamp value chain

By Olayinka Olawale/Oluwatope Lawanson

The Lagos State Government has inaugurated the Last Mile Meat Shops and Butchers’ Academy to overhaul the process of selling red meat thereby maintaining proper hygiene in the metropolis

Ms Abisola Olusanya, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture,  stated this at the inauguration of the Last Mile Meat Shops and Butchers’ Academy on Monday at Alausa, Lagos.

Olusanya said that the initiative was to give residents confidence on what they would consume while also making it look presentable with standard facilities to encourage youths to venture into the space.

The commissioner further noted that the essence of the initiative was for residents to embrace butchery and correct the erroneous impression that “the profession is reserved for the illiterates”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the last mile meat shops are located in Ijeh area of Dolphin Estate, Surulere and Mushin.

L-R: Chairman, Lagos State Butchers Association, Comrade Kazeem Bakare, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Emmanuel Fatai Audu, Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, and Chairman, Palilar Pal Meat International, Apostle Olawale Talabi during the inauguration of Eko Meat Shop and Lagos State Butchers Academy at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa Ikeja

Olusanya said that the 20 feet containers designed as pilot scheme for the initiative could be easily transferred from one location to another.

According to her, each meat shop is to be manned by four people allocated a cow slaughtered at Agege Abattoir and brought to them in hygienic manner.

She, therefore, called for more collaboration with the private sector to enlarge the scheme.

Olusanya explained that the initiative was part of the 2021 Five-Year Agriculture Roadmap.

“The journey for the overhauling in the ministry started way back during the time of the former commissioner and now the Oba of Oniruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal.

“The overhauling in the transportation sector led to the introduction of Eko Meat Van that ended the era of conveying meat through unwholesome practices.

“The cattle feedlot project in Lagos is ongoing and part of the promise made by the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration which would be delivered soon,” she said.

 

On his part, the Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Mr Olotu Emmanuel, commended the ministry for introducing ideas that would bring food and comfort to the door steps of residents.

Emmanuel urged the butchers’ association to ensure that they put into practice what they learnt during training at the butchers academy.

At the inauguration of Eko Meat Shop and Lagos State Butchers Academy at Alausa, Ikeja

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, said that the initiative was a quality controlled measure in the state to give value for money.

He assured them that all the meat shops would sell in kilogramme by weight for uniformity purpose.

Mr Emmanuel Audu, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, described the event as ground-breaking, adding that issues around meat consumption was important for human existence.

He also noted that food safety could not be overlooked, recalling what brought about COVID-19 from China was all about unhygienic way of handling food.

The permanent secretary further said that the initiative was to assist in value chains in meat distribution.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of Butchers’ Association, Alhaji Kazeem Bakare, thanked the Lagos State government for initiating the project described as innovation to his members.

According to him, the association will embrace the new idea of safe handling of cow meat.

He promised that it would bring back some of its members who had left the job.

Bakare urged other states in the country to embrace the innovation to restore sanity to the handling of meat among their residents.

The Managing Director of Palilar Pal Meat International, Mr Olawale Talabi, appreciated the governor for the opportunity.

He noted that the measure would guarantee high hygienic standard for the sale of meat to consumers in the state and allow butchers to earn more money.

Talabi stated that there was huge market for cow meat in Lagos, adding that more than 2,500 cows were slaughtered on a daily basis.

He disclosed that “plans are underway to have the meat shops across the metropolis”.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kayode Olaitan

Illustration for food security
Food Security

Food security: Group harps on organic agricultural practices in Nigeria

Food security: Group harps on organic agricultural practices in Nigeria

Agriculture

By Anita Uzoagba

Abuja, May 14, 2024 (NAN) The Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) initiative has stressed the need to adopt organic agricultural practices to enhance food security in the country.

The Chairperson, EOA initiative National Steering Committee, Mrs Janet Igoh, said this at a 2-day sensitisation workshop on National Diploma Organic Agricultural Technology in Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria and Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Igoh urged stakeholders to portray agriculture in the right perspective so that it would be appealing to the youths.

She said the lack of interest in agriculture by the youths was because farmers are always looking tattered in pictures.

“That is not the prospect of agriculture, organic agriculture prep course that we are launching today will create employment.

“There is always a saying that says, grow what you eat, use your crops or produce as medicine, not medicine as food.

“Our young men and women can become farm managers, we can advocate for most of them to form cooperative and also help them seek funds”, she said.

Dr Jude Obi, National president, Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), said efforts by the association to bring organic agriculture into mainstream agriculture in Nigeria had been difficult.

“We have developed a curriculum for teaching organic agriculture and getting a National Diploma degree through the support of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

“Organic agriculture can feed us if everybody tries to produce minimally what he or she consumes, this is why the association is in the forefront of this.

“We hope that the Colleges of Agriculture and Polytechnics will process these curricula and follow it up,” he said.

Obi said the association was also raising awareness on participatory guarantee scheme for organic agriculture.

“We plead with those that want to implement this to register as members of the association so that we can work together to achieve this”, he said.

Also speaking, NBTE Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, represented by Dr. Rufai Ibrahim, said the board had come up with a curriculum.

Bugaje said that the institutions have been granted approvals to commence the implementation.

He assured that the board hopes to see to it that the Higher Diploma level commences in a few years, since the curriculum had been tailored toward encouraging the adoption of organic farming.

Dr Umar Abdullahi, Technical Advisor to the Executive Secretary, Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), said organic agriculture was a production that sustained the health of the soil, ecosystem and people.

“Organic agriculture relies on the political processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than use of inputs.

“The inputs we are talking about are fertilizers, chemicals; organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation, and science.

“It is a system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs,” he said.

Abdullahi said there was the need to take care of the environment by adopting appropriate products in protecting the environment.

“Organic agriculture method will cleanse the soil of forbidding use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.

“Ecological nature of organic culture is capturing carbon dioxide from the soil thereby improving the environment, conserves energy and save money”, he said.

Mr Gbadamosi Oyewole, Coordinator, EOA initiative, West Africa said organic agriculture was a system which has all the components of ecosystem working together.

This, he said would sustained the health of individuals, communities, soil, plants and animals.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about organic agriculture; some equate it to the use of organic fertilizers.

“When we try to develop organic farming in the country, we have to bring experts from outside the country to manage the farm.

“To work with a farm manager, you have to use expert training to do that. That is our goal,” he said.

Oyewole said that farmers and processors needed training and development to adopt organic practices and improve their productivity. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

 

 

 

Food Security , Judiciary

Body of Benchers’ll enforce discipline in legal profession – Awomolo

By Ebere Agozie

The Body of Benchers (BoB) will not fail in its duty to apply the Rules and enforce discipline no matter the status, position or rank of any legal practitioner involved.

The Body of Benchers is a statutory Body established by the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962 (as amended), Cap. L11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Section 3 of the Act stipulates that the Body of Benchers is the Legal Body of Practitioners of the highest distinction in the legal profession, which shall be responsible for the formal call to the Bar of persons seeking to become legal practitioners as well as disciplining of erring lawyers.

Chairman of the BoB, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, made this known in his key-note address at the ongoing 2024 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch (Unity Bar) on Thursday in Abuja.

The law week is with theme: `Developing the Law to Attain National Stability and Development’.

He noted that corruption has reached alarming proportions in the legal profession and that the practice permits both the Inner and the Outer Bars.

“It is commonly believed that my colleagues of the Inner Bar perpetrate and involve themselves in unwholesome practices with impunity.

“I have challenged those I read and knew their authors on social media and I am waiting for proof on any of these allegations.

“There is need for all of us to be conversant with the Rules of Professional Conduct at the Bar published in 2023 and that are fundamental provisions that are a complete departure from all the previous Rules.

Awomolo, said that attainment of national stability and development can only be happen when the proper and the right instrumentality of the law is enacted, faithfully implemented, obeyed and enforced.

He noted that the law was only meaningful when it addresses the common goal of government of the people, by the people and for the people.

He said that Nigeria has remained stagnated, poorly governed, and underdeveloped because of a deficit in the quality of governance by the people we elected into political offices, and those appointed into public offices.

“The country’s problems include a dysfunctional socio-political structure, entrenched corruption, and an unproductive economy hence there is a dispute over whether Nigeria is a failed State.

“The late Fela Kuti’s words in his popular song “Suffering and Smiling” perfectly capture the Nigerian experience, highlighting the fact that problems persist, and continue to evolve in various forms.

“The country’s problems are not solved, but rather persisted.

“This has led to huge economic loss, massive brain drain and high loss of majority of Nigerian’s vibrant, intellectual and active youth in what is called the ‘Japa’ Syndrome.

“The effect of this unfortunate demographic loss in human resources manifest mostly in professional and technical sectors and industries because of the unemployment of educated and skilled youths’’.

Also speaking, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Chris Uche said Nigerians had lost hope in the legal profession.

Uche, who was the Chairman of the event said the lecture would afford his learned brothers the opportunity to have a rethink and help the society.

“People have lost hope in this our profession, so we want to see how our gathering today will help to give us hope as lawyers.

“It has always been said that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, but in recent times in this country that has become very debatable.

“This is an opportunity as practitioners to see how we can use the law to help the society, to help the country and also to help ourselves,’’ he added.

He, therefore, urged participants to be in the right frame of mind, have the right spirit to consume and to receive and to impact positively on the society.

Mr Afam Okeke, the Chairman of the Unity Branch in his address of welcome said the annual event was part of providing a platform to celebrate the vital role of lawyers in our society.

“It’s a time to reflect on our achievements, and contributions to the national discourse, and address challenges on our way to greater impact.

“The theme `Developing the Law to Attain National Stability and Development’ affords us the opportunity to evaluate our roles in upholding the rule of law and its impact on our society.

“Through this theme, we will once more be reminded of our shared commitment to justice, fairness, and the protection of fundamental rights’’. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Food Security

Food security: Nigeria requires about 312,000 metric tons of seed – Minister

 

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, says Nigeria requires about 312,000 metric tons of seed towards achieving food security, food sufficiency and global security in 2024.

Kyari said this at a High-Level Stakeholders’ Forum on Seed System Development, organised by Feed-the Future Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister was represented by Dr Haruna Suleman, the Director, National Food and Strategic Reserve.

The theme of the forum is, “ Enhancing Seed Systems Development for Improved Food Security: A Paradigm of USAID Interventions in Northeast Nigeria’’.

Kyari said the ministry had outlined series of critical pathways to solve the food security challenges in Nigeria.

He explained that the pathways were streamlined into short, medium and long term for a period of four years, which includes the immediate production of 31 million metric tons of grain in 2024.

According to him, for success to be achieved, factors to be addressed are the seed availability, affordability and adaptability, paying particular attention to food security.

“Major crops that are most concerned are rice, maize, wheat, sorghum and cowpea in 2024.

“We require about 312,000 metric tons of seed which is to enable us to achieve the required metric tons.”

The minister said the Federal Government had developed programmes to support farmers with high quality seeds for rice, wheat, maize, cassava and other inputs at a subsidised rate.

He said the Nigerian seeds development required partnership and synergy among all key stakeholders that would facilitate a model of collaboration built on knowledge sharing, skill exchange, expertise, competitiveness and mutual benefit.

“Of great interest is the new science, technology and innovation (STI) developed by USAID Feed-the Future Nigeria Integrated Agricultural Activities (NIAA) implemented by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

“It is a community based enterprises model that is not only localised but adaptable to the climatic and specific conditions of communities and above all against the traditional approach of demand driven which have not been effective.

“The NIAA model is market driven and on need based riding on cohesive cooperative system to create the needed ownership and stewardship to protect enterprises.

“This model developed and promoted by IITA and NIAA was piloted in the northeast of Nigeria in the states of Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe.

“Building an ecosystem and end-to-end market driven seed network through the community based system to produce seed to a network linked farmers group aggregated within the community with the local governments.

“This by extensions makes the availability and adaptable and specific resilience seeds to the ecology of the locations concerned,’’ he said.

Mr Prakash Silwal, Chief of Party/Principal Specialist, IITA, said that USAID had in the last five years, funded IITA and their partners to work in the northeast, to address the food insecurity.

Silwal said the forum was organised to share some of the successes so far recorded especially with a focus on seed system development.

According to him, it is the IITA’s contribution to addressing food security in the northeast, adding that the actors that made it happened would be awarded.

He said that 150 community based seed enterprises contributed to making farming possible to nearly half a million farmers or half a million hectares of land in the region.

“About 3 million dollar worth of additional food may be provided in those areas.

“As we are winding up our programmes, we are also here to share some of those knowledge that we have developed, as to what varieties of crop, legumes and cereals, will be very good in those areas,’’ he said.

Mr Bassey Archibong , Market Systems and Livelihood Specialist, Feed the Future Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity, IITA, said the beginning of food security anywhere was seeds.

Archibong said the programme was aimed at ensuring that farmers had the right kind of seeds that must be affordable and accessible within the localities where food crops were being produced.

Malam Yakubu Gombi, leader of Gombi Community Based Seed Producers from Adamawa, thanked IITA for its support, saying they had been empowered to become entrepreneurs.

He said the organisation had trained him and his group in different fields of agriculture with requisite skills in the last five years. (NAN) (www,nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Tractors in Nigeria
Niger Delta , Agriculture , Food Security

NDDC to procure tractors for mechanised farming in Niger Delta – official

By Desmond Ejibas

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), plans to acquire tractors and other modern farming equipment to enhance its agriculture initiatives in the Niger Delta, an official has said.

Mr Victor Antai, the commission’s Executive Director, Projects, revealed this while inspecting farming equipment produced by Bobtrack Limited, in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

He emphasised that investing in agriculture would help the Niger Delta maximise its agricultural potential with traditional farming methods upgraded to mechanised methods.

“NDDC is looking at procuring various farming equipment to incorporate them into the Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Engagement (HOPE) programme, which focuses on agriculture as a key component.

“The Project HOPE initiative seeks to create employment opportunities and we have already collated data on youths, many of whom are interested in agriculture.

“NDDC is committed to ensuring food security in the Niger Delta; we want to engage youths in agriculture to achieve our food security objective,” he explained.

Antai expressed satisfaction with the quality of the tractors and other farming tools, noting that the tools would boost the current efforts to shore up mechanised farming in the region.

The Managing Director of Bobtrack Limited, Ibifiri Bob-Manuel, in a remark, stated that the country could achieve sufficiency in food supplies through investments in mechanised farming, moving away from traditional practices.

He added that the company’s tractors were specifically tailored for farming in Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

Food Security

NGO calls for increased gov’t investment in GMOs for food security

By Bukola Adewumi

Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called on the Federal Government to allocate more resources towards Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) to ensure food security across the nation.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, CASER’s Convener, Mr Frank Tietie, emphasised the importance of GMOs in agricultural practices.

Tietie explained that GMOs are organisms whose genetic makeup has been altered through scientific engineering to achieve specific objectives in laboratories.

He highlighted the benefits of GMOs, particularly in crops like cowpea, cotton, and maize, which are fortified to resist pests and weeds, thereby enhancing yields.

Tietie urged the government and stakeholders to disregard concerns raised by detractors who advocate for the banning of GMOs.

Instead, he urged investment in the provision of GMO seeds to farmers, which would not only improve agricultural productivity, but also contribute to environmental conservation by reducing the need for herbicides and pesticides.

Tietie reminded stakeholders that Nigeria has been involved in research and development in biotechnology since 1987, recognising the potential benefits of the technology.

“We are worried by the day that ignorance by some people, who have no knowledge on the advance of biotechnology, is dismissing the efforts and benefits of biotechnology advancement.

“The Nigerian government, as far back as 1987, put legislation in place to encourage the application of biotechnology and genetic engineering as instrument of social economic development.”

He emphasised the need to embrace scientific advancements and not hinder progress based on unfounded fears.

While advocating for the adoption of GMOs, Tietie stressed that there is no evidence linking GM food to any health risks.

He called on the government, agricultural development stakeholders, and financial institutions to collaborate in providing genetically modified tela maize and BT cowpea to farmers across the country.

However, some stakeholders have expressed concerns regarding the potential adverse effects of GMOs on the environment and public health, highlighting uncertainties that may exist. (NAN)

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

Agriculture , Food Security

Hardship: Agric minister warns against hoarding, speculative trading of grains

By Muhyideen Jimoh

Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security has warned commodity traders against hoarding and speculative trading as the Federal Government intensify efforts to scale up food production in the country.

The minister stated this on Sunday in Abuja at a special Ramadan lecture/Iftar organised by the SA to the President on Agriculture and Food Security, Mufutau Yinusa and the Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, an NGO.

The lecture had as its theme “Gratitude, Patience and Vision: Embracing challenges with Optimism”.

The minister who decried the increasing cost of food items, said that apart from insecurity that has affected agricultural production, the issue of hoarding has exacerbated the problem.

“Some of the problems we are facing is also man made, hoarding for instance and speculative trade by commodity traders is also very huge.

“We have seen and discovered some ware houses in big commodity areas where even gates are removed and walls built just to hoard food stuffs inside.

“So when you look at those things and say it’s Bola Tinubu, I think we are not being fair to the administration of this government.

“So we have to look inward, we all have a role to play,” he said.

Kyari said the Federal Government would continue to work round the clock to ensure to food security for the nation, while addressing the insecurity challenge frontally.

Earlier, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security urged Muslims to use the Ramadan period to pray for the nation and it’s leaders.

“Almighty Allah has urged us, if we want his help and want him to change our pain, our situation, we must also change our ways.

“We don’t have any country than Nigeria and President Ahmed Tinubu has said it times without number, he is here to make a difference and he wants everybody to support him,” Abdullahi said.

He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to address the economic challenges facing the nation.

Sheik Muhammad Kabir, Imam of Abuja National Mosque in his lecture admonished Muslims to shun corruption, while contributing positively to nation building.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to continue to pray and support the current administration in addressing the myriad of problems confronting the country.

The SA to the President on Agriculture and Food Security, Mufutau Yinusa said the lecture was part of efforts to support the current administration and reach out to the grassroots.

The Director General, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, an NGO, Realwan Okpanachi expressed optimism that Nigeria will soon surmount it’s challenges with the experience of President Bola Tinubu.

NAN reports that the lecture/Iftar (breaking of fast) was attended by Islamic scholars, politicians and Muslims from all walks of life. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Food Security

U.S., Nigeria, others unveil food security strategic country plan

By Mark Longyen

The U.S. government has partnered Nigeria, among others,  to unveil a five-year Global Food Security Strategic Country Plan to boost the country’s agricultural sector and drive agro-economic growth.

Mr David Greene, the U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, while unveiling the strategy on Thursday in Abuja, said it exemplified the U.S. government’s commitment to resolving the pressing issue of food security in Nigeria.

Greene explained that the new strategy was built on previous achievements and lessons learned, and prioritised inclusive participation, value addition, climate adaptation, private sector engagement, as well as job creation.

According to the U.S. envoy, the U.S. government will through the strategy build sustainable food systems, promote innovation, and advance trade to break the vicious cycle of poverty and hunger in Nigeria.

He explained that the Country Plan had adopted a market system approach to achieve three overarching goals, which included increasing the productivity and competitiveness of horticulture, maize, and rice value chains.

The other two goals, he said, included enhancing the capacities of vulnerable households to respond to shocks, as well as improving access to nutritious and high-quality foods.

He said: “This strategy represents one year of intensive consultation and hours of discussion and I am honored to be here to celebrate the hard work and partnership that went into its development.

“At the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022, President Biden reaffirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to realising African food security, a key priority of the Biden-Harris Administration.

“The Global Food Security Strategy, which we are here to launch today, supports President Biden’s commitment to improve food security in Nigeria.”

Greene said that in 2022, the global pandemic, climate crisis, high energy and fertiliser prices, and protracted conflicts, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, exacerbated food insecurity.

He said that, in response, the U.S. and African leaders, whose countries disproportionately bore the brunt of the impact, strengthened ties to refocus and expand public and private sector investments to address the root causes of the food crisis.

“Nigeria is currently experiencing a severe food crisis due to insecurity, inflation, currency devaluation, the increased cost of inputs, trade restrictions, climate change, and post-harvest loss.

“In January 2024, Nigeria recorded an over thirty-five (35) per cent increase in food prices, making it difficult for the 84 million Nigerians living below the poverty line to buy food.

“If we project out into the future, global food demand will double by 2050, and yet at the same time key staple crops are showing a decrease of up to 30 percent,” the envoy said.

Greene noted that, while climate change was causing extreme weather conditions like drought and floods, it was even more challenging for smallholder farmers to increase yields and incomes.

He said that Nigeria was ranked the sixth least prepared globally to confront climate change, stressing that it must focus on adaptation if food security was to be achieved.

“Climate change is leading to ever-more disastrous shocks, and with so many of the harshest impacts falling on poor farmers, how do we break the cycle of lurching from food crisis to food crisis?

“We are working to answer this question by developing innovations to assist the millions of farmers in Nigeria, including the 70 percent of smallholder farmers who still rely on rain-fed agriculture,” the envoy said.

According to Greene, in order to achieve the aims of the partnership, the U.S. government is providing broad assistance across Nigeria to support agriculture development.

He disclosed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), invested almost $200 million in agriculture for the last five years to improve food security and build household resilience to shocks in eleven Nigerian states.

He listed the states to include Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Yobe.

The envoy said that the U.S. government also provided modest grants to 33 private-sector companies to leverage over $150 million in private-sector development, and generated $306 million in domestic sales, and created over 23,000 jobs.

He noted that USAID was one of many U.S. government agencies promoting agricultural development in Nigeria, adding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had inaugurated a $22 million, five-year investment in Nigeria’s cocoa value chain in seven states.

“In February 2023, the U.S. Department of State launched the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils in partnership with the African Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

“The U.S. is advancing the partnership by directing $150 million globally towards USAID and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) crop and soil activities.

“The United States also supports the AU’s upcoming Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi in May, which will provide an opportunity to collaborate with African governments and institutions on the development of soil action plans.    

“Nigeria is doing fantastic biotech agricultural research and development – they may in fact be the leader in Africa in biotech ag R&D.

“They just became the second country in Africa to approve the commercialization of GE corn (after South Africa) by taking part in an African-wide AATF research effort “TELA Maize”, which was funded by USAID and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” Greene said.

The U.S. envoy said that Nigeria’s potential to drive agriculture-led economic growth was endless, and the U.S. government and partners were ready to support Nigeria, adding that Nigerians were best placed to solve the issues that affect them.

He, however, said that for ideas to grow and drive economic development, the Nigerian government must create an enabling environment that supports private sector-led growth and entrepreneurship.

“U.S. companies and other U.S. private sector stakeholders are eager to help Nigeria improve agricultural productivity, trade, and food security.

“However, clear and transparent tax and investment rules are needed for meaningful growth.

“Food must be available to buy, and prices must be affordable for all Nigerians.

“The Nigerian government should embrace the adoption of genetically modified crops to boost the productivity and income of smallholder farmers while removing trade restrictions, including food and agricultural import bans.  Competition and free trade fosters creativity and efficiency.

“The choices that we make today and the remainder of this decade and how we tackle these challenges, in my view, will determine the direction the entire world takes in the decades to come,” the U.S. envoy stressed(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

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