Speaker Home of Representatives Hon Tajudeen Abbas has mentioned the challenges of meals insecurity in Nigeria are “pushed by components reminiscent of normal insecurity, unavailable infrastructure to scale up production, and {economic} instability.”
Talking Thursday as a particular visitor of honour on the twenty second Day by day Belief annual Dialogue and Presentation of Day by day Belief Unsung Heroes (2024), Abbas mentioned “the best perpetrator has been years of diverted focus from the agricultural sector.”
The speaker mentioned the state of affairs worsened within the nation, when Nigeria moved from its concentrate on agriculture and its potential to drive the nationwide financial system and targeted extra on the petroleum sector, undermining agriculture which is “the spine of our nation.”
He, nonetheless, mentioned Nigeria was at a turning level because the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had made it clear that making certain meals safety required a renewed concentrate on agriculture.
Represented by Chairman Home Committee on Meals Safety Hon Deacon Chike John Okafor, the speaker mentioned with the Tinubu administration figuring out solely 35% of arable land in Nigeria as being presently cultivated, it’s subsequently dedicated to growing this determine to 65% inside 4 years.
He mentioned: “Different commitments embrace strengthening farm cooperatives, enhancing entry to finance, rural infrastructure growth, irrigation, and water catchments. These initiatives goal to considerably improve agricultural output and guarantee meals safety.
“On the legislative entrance and as I said earlier, {economic} development and growth is a core element of our legislative agenda. Underneath this programme, we’re paying particular consideration to {economic} diversification and agricultural growth.”
Recalling “the period of groundnut pyramids, the cocoa prosperity of the Nineteen Eighties, and the continual bountiful cultivation of crops in all areas of the nation,” the speaker mentioned: “Sadly, the oil increase within the early Nineteen Seventies took consideration away from agriculture, ensuing within the focus of funding within the oil sector.”
He, nonetheless, mentioned “regardless of this disruption within the agricultural worth chain, Nigeria nonetheless maintains excessive agricultural output although not on the stage anticipated.
“In response to the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the agricultural sector contributed 16.8% to Nigeria’s GDP within the first quarter of 2024 and 22.61% within the second quarter. Curiously, these are largely from subsistence, small-scale, and medium-scale farming.
“Right now, no matter our fertile arable land which is estimated to cowl an space of 36.9 million hectares, the nation’s massive and younger inhabitants, and efforts by previous administrations to rejuvenate the agricultural sector, the sector nonetheless contributes beneath 30% to our gross home product (GDP). This doesn’t solely have {economic} implications but in addition penalties for our nationwide meals safety.”
…On local weather change, city migration, others
Whereas talking additional on the components that had worsened the state of affairs within the agricultural sector, the speaker mentioned: “One important issue that can not be ignored is the position of local weather change. Local weather change has brought about unpredictable climate patterns impacting negatively on meals production, and disrupting agricultural actions, resulting in lowered crop yields.
“For instance, current floods in elements of Nigeria destroyed about 16,488 hectares of farmland throughout 27 states of the federation, leaving many farmers and not using a harvest. Reviews from the Nationwide Emergency Administration Company (NEMA) point out that some 227,000 individuals, largely farmers, had been negatively affected by the floods.
“One other vital actuality we should confront is the fast and ongoing shift towards city migration. On the time of our independence, lower than 20 per cent of Nigeria’s inhabitants resided in city areas.
“Right now, that determine has surged to about 53.9 %. The implication of this for our nationwide demography is important. It signifies a change that impacts crop production.
“This pattern, whereas reflective of broader world patterns, presents distinctive challenges for our nation, significantly within the agricultural sector. With nearly all of farming in Nigeria nonetheless closely reliant on handbook labour, the exodus of able-bodied people to cities has led to a pointy decline within the rural workforce.
“This not solely hinders our skill, as a individuals, to domesticate and harvest crops effectively but in addition threatens meals safety and {economic} stability in rural communities.
“Moreover, the dwindling curiosity in agriculture among the many youthful inhabitants, who’re more and more drawn to city alternatives, exacerbates the state of affairs.
“Sadly, these youths are generally drawn to quick-money syndrome. I’ve little question that we’d like a nationwide rebirth to assist redirect the minds of lots of our youths. Fast cash syndrome births extra agony for the household and nation than arduous work, focus and consistency do”
…Insecurity as an element
Talking additional on the challenges hindering the event of the sector, Abbas mentioned: “We can’t successfully talk about points impacting poor agricultural yield and meals insecurity in Nigeria and not using a point out of the devastating impact of insecurity throughout the nation on the farming communities particularly. Insecurity in Nigeria has led to a decline in agricultural productiveness, displacement of farmers and poor yield.
“Right now, the federal authorities is making each attainable effort to handle this and be certain that farmers return to their communities and lands as a result of the decline in productiveness results in meals shortages and {economic} loss for each the nation and the farmers.
“Insecurity has additionally made it troublesome for Nigeria to realize its nationwide objective of turning into a hunger-free nation, as displaced farmers can now not farm and people who farm are stopped from harvesting their crops. “In some elements of the nation, non-state actors maintain farmers to ransom and ask for all method of taxes earlier than they’re allowed to reap their crops.”
The speaker additionally mirrored on the coverage interventions of previous governments to achieve a clearer and extra knowledgeable perspective on meals safety.
He listed such interventions to incorporate: The nationwide particular programme on meals safety (2002) and nationwide {economic} empowerment and growth technique (2004), aimed to scale back reliance on oil and promote agriculture and the foundation and tuber growth program (2008) which inspired the production of cheaper staples reminiscent of cassava, garri, yam, and potatoes, in addition to the agricultural promotion coverage (2016–2020) and the nationwide agricultural know-how and innovation coverage (2022–2027), and the operation feed the nation (OFN) of 1979 which geared toward growing meals production and decreasing dependence on imported meals amongst others.
“All these efforts had been geared towards addressing one main difficulty –meals insecurity. Not too long ago, the Central {Bank} of Nigeria (CBN) has been instrumental within the implementation of serious initiatives to bolster the agricultural sector,” he mentioned.
“A distinguished instance is the Anchor Debtors’ Programme (ABP), launched in 2015 to offer {financial} assist to smallholder farmers and improve agricultural productiveness.
“As of march 2023, the CBN reported disbursing roughly ₦1.09 trillion in loans to over 4.67 million farmers cultivating key commodities reminiscent of maize, rice, and wheat,” Abbas additional added.
…Plea to youth
He referred to as on the Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture extra “simply as I name on the related establishments of presidency to offer the required incentives to encourage participation in agriculture by the younger individuals.
“I consider that we should collectively attempt to reinforce agricultural production, decrease prices, and construct the infrastructure wanted for the agricultural and allied sectors to thrive. I don’t consider that meals safety is a privilege. It’s a basic proper. No citizen of our expensive nation ought to go to mattress hungry due to the competition between availability and affordability.
“With the precise focus, which is now being pushed by the renewed hope programme and keenly supported by our legislative agenda, I firmly consider that meals insecurity in Nigeria will turn out to be historical past.
“We’re not removed from attaining this. I subsequently count on that the strong dialogue right here in the present day will enrich us with actionable factors that may assist our resolve to collectively tackle the problem of meals insecurity in our nation.
“For us within the Home of Representatives, we’re able to associate with the media on any laws that will come up from this dialogue to make sure meals safety in Nigeria,” Abbas added.
Minister of livestock growth
Additionally talking on the occasion, Minister of Livestock Growth, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, mentioned Nigerians ought to work in direction of activating the nation’s potential somewhat than simply mouthing them.
He mentioned the nation’s agriculture insurance policies ought to focus extra on how one can change the problem of subsistence farming which takes care of solely the household meals wants, with little or nothing to promote.
The minister who referred to as for a change in “the best way we do issues within the agricultural sector, for us to get a unique final result,” regretted that insecurity and associated challenges had taken its toll on meals entry, and subsequently referred to as for large-scale dry season farming as a approach out.
…Skilled on flaws in in the present day’s agric system
In his remarks, Chairman of the event who can be Founder/Director Normal Songhai Farms in Benin Republic, Rev Fr. (Prof.) Godfrey Nzamujo, mentioned the basic flaw in in the present day’s standard meals and agricultural programs laid of their reliance on practices that ignored the planet’s pure ideas and patterns.
Nzamujo mentioned: “Central to this oversight is the disregard for microorganisms-essential elements of the ecological and tropic pyramid that underpin the meals chain.
“These microorganisms are the unseen architects of soil fertility, plant well being, and nutrient biking, forming the muse of a thriving ecosystem.
“Nevertheless, chemically-intensive agricultural strategies systematically erode these vital parts, depleting soils and disrupting the intricate steadiness obligatory for ecosystem resilience and sustainability.
“This unsustainable method not solely destabilises the ecological steadiness but in addition imperils the long-term viability of world meals programs.
“To make sure meals safety and environmental well being, we should transition to regenerative, eco-centric agricultural fashions that restore and amplify the life-supporting features of microorganisms.
“The results of this flawed agricultural system are stark; environmental degradation, soil erosion, rural decay, mass migration from rural areas, and escalating unemployment in Nigeria, over 60% of the soil is degraded, costing the nation roughly 13% of its GDP yearly.
“Alarmingly, regardless of these clear warnings, we fail to totally comprehend the severity of a inhabitants surpassing 200 million, dealing with a diminishing and quickly degrading per capita land space. This case is a ticking time bomb, threatening the nation’s future stability and prosperity.”
…Media Belief explains convention
Earlier, Chairman Media Belief Board of Administrators Malam Kabiru Yusuf, in a poser, queried: “Why are our residents not having sufficient meals to eat? That is why we’re right here. That’s the query. Statistics in Nigeria paint a grim image and the anecdotal proof. Go searching you. We could change issues we take without any consideration.
“We have now to have a look at this difficulty. How can we cross this divide, if it exists. I don’t know what the professional will say between availability or affordability. We’re not producing sufficient as a result of individuals can’t afford it.”