Nigeria Confronts Severe Food Security Crisis – Shettima

Nigeria Confronts Severe Food Security Crisis – Shettima
  • Nigeria launches the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the severe food security crisis.
  • Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasizes urgent action, highlighting the PFSCU’s role in complementing the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts.
  • State governors, including those from Cross River, Borno, Jigawa, and Niger, pledge to modernize agriculture and enhance food production to meet national needs.

Nigeria Confronts Severe Food Security Crisis – Shettima

The federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially recognized Nigeria’s escalating hunger crisis and has taken decisive steps by launching the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU).

This unit, inaugurated at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marks a pivotal move in the government’s efforts to combat food insecurity.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, addressing governors, cabinet ministers, and development partners during the inauguration, emphasized the gravity of the situation.

“The nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with the 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,” he stated.

Acknowledging the critical role of stakeholders, Shettima highlighted the PFSCU’s mandate, clarifying that it complements rather than duplicates the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to the Vice President, the urgency of our current challenge demands collaborative efforts and resources from all stakeholders.

Shettima also underscored the Green Imperative Programme as a cornerstone initiative that the PFSCU will actively promote to enhance agricultural productivity through modernized practices, improved seeds, and enhanced fertilizer usage.

Governors on the committee echoed Shettima’s sentiments, outlining their respective states’ strategies to modernize farming practices and bolster crop yields.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River emphasized his state’s commitment to agricultural advancement, stating,

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

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State emphasized the need for a coordinated national approach amidst challenges of low productivity and rapid population growth.

“We must invest in commercial agriculture, increase funding, and enhance security for farmers,” he asserted.

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State highlighted his state’s agricultural potential, citing significant yields and calling for sustained political will to drive food security initiatives.

“All that is needed is the political will to drive the process. Our lands are very fertile. In Jigawa, there are places where we are yielding ten tonnes per hectare of rice. There are so many places like that. As of today, our average in Jigawa State is about 12.56 per hectare. We are on the right course. What we need is sustained political will,” he affirmed.

Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State proposed Niger as a pilot for the President’s food security initiative, citing substantial investments in agricultural mechanization and irrigation systems.

“We are ready to lead by example in agricultural innovation,” he stated confidently.

The launch of the PFSCU and the collaborative efforts outlined by Vice President Shettima and state governors underscore a concerted national commitment to mitigate Nigeria’s food security crisis and ensure sustainable agricultural development across the country.

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