The National Assembly has emphasized the urgent need to empower farmers with modern tools and financial resources as a crucial step in addressing the persistent challenge of hunger and food insecurity.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, conveyed this message during a High-Level Strategic Engagement on Climate Change, Food Systems, and Resource Mobilization held in Abuja.
The event, organized by the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), served as a platform to discuss pressing issues related to agriculture, climate change, and sustainable food systems.
Kalu specifically called for urgent steps to address Nigeria’s food security challenges and harness the agricultural opportunities of the nation.
He said there is a need for collaborative efforts among government, businesses, and communities to create an environment conducive to private investment and responsible practices.
He emphasized the pressing need for action amidst a growing population and climate change impacts.
“The government had set some ambitious goals, including a 25per cent increase in food production and the creation of 10 million new jobs in the agricultural sector by 2030.”
The lawmaker equally drew the attention of the audience to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security.
Speaking in the same vein, Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa stressed agriculture’s critical role amidst climate change and evolving food systems.
He restated the state’s unwavering commitment to agricultural advancement to drive sustainable socioeconomic development and improve citizens’ lives.
According to the governor, the state had partnered with industry leaders like Olam and Dangote to foster a dynamic agribusiness landscape.
The National Coordinator, AUDA-NEPAD, Nigeria, Gloria Akobundu, acknowledged the staggering number of individuals facing hunger in Africa and the pivotal role of smallholder farmers in building resilient food systems.
Akobundu called on development partners, private investors, and the diplomatic community to collaborate in supporting smallholder farmers and ensuring a prosperous and food-secure future for all.
“We at AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria have long stood at the forefront of the charge for facilitating resilient food systems in Nigeria, in the face of the food crisis on the continent.
“Today’s event is a follow-up to our numerous outdoor engagements with development partners on capacity building and resource mobilisation for smallholder farmers,” she said.
On his part, Africa Union (AU) Special Envoy on Food System, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, said Africa has a rich agricultural heritage in producing staple crops such as rice, maize, millet, and cassava.
Mayaki identified challenges facing the sector, limited access to modern inputs, inadequate infrastructure, and vulnerability to climate change.
In addressing the challenges, he said there were promising initiatives aimed at promoting agricultural development in the region.
The initiatives, according to him included regional cooperation frameworks such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP) which seeks to enhance food security and promote agricultural trade.
NAN
