Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that Nigeria has mobilised more than half a billion dollars for innovative, profitable, equitable and sustainable food system transformation initiative.
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ASHENEWS reports that the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the African Union Commission (AUC) on Monday in Addis Ababa, signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to raise agricultural productivity in Africa through research, technology development, and uptake by framers.
Russia halted its participation in the Black Sea Grain Deal on July 17, which was the deadline for its extension. Moscow had fully implemented its part of the Initiative but had warned it would pull out if Western countries failed to meet its terms – specifically, steps to facilitate the export of Russian foodstuffs and fertilizers.
Two weeks ago, the Federal Government of Nigeria declared a state of emergency on food security. The declaration of emergency is the best policy pronouncement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) since the assumption into office about two months ago. If this declaration was done with a similar pronouncement of emergency on education and security before the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, it would have set the ball rolling at an exponential speed. It would have been an excellent starting and hopes would have been rekindled, desperation would have been dampened. Nevertheless, we must commend the responsiveness and sensitivity of BAT to the yearning of Nigerians. So far, BAT is the only President who has made such a pronouncement on food security, which is the most essential security to life. Death by hunger is more devastating and traumatic than death by a bullet as hunger takes days of pain and suffering before the body succumbs to the final breath while a bullet takes life in a matter of seconds. Thus, a bullet may be a preferable way to end it all than hunger. We must remember, food insecurity is the mastermind of all other insecurities; banditry, corruption, insurgence, kidnapping, and robbery.
The UNESCO Read and Earn Federation has proposed solutions for food availability following the Federal Government’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security.
The Nigerian government and the United Nations have called for a holistic approach to achieving sustainable food chain in Nigeria.
The Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha has said that genome technology editing can transform development in Nigeria and across the African continent, if properly harnessed.
Making the call in different interviews in Lagos on Wednesday, the stakeholders, praised the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security but advised that the right people must drive the policy while interventions should target real farmers.
ASHENEWS reports that the Nigerian government has confirmed the outbreak of the first case of anthrax in the country.
Farmers in Bauchi, Gombe, and Jigawa will get a 50 percent subsidy on fertiliser prices to enhance access to the commodity and encourage food production in the states.