The newly inaugurated Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, is optimistic that Tinubu led administration has the political will to address issues of food insecurity, flood among other problems bedevilling the agriculture sector.
Kyari, who resumed office in Abuja on Monday, said that the target of this team is not only to secure and feed Nigeria but also to export food which the country has the potential to achieve.
“We know the challenge that we face now; hunger is one of our big problems in this country. When I say need, it also means food security challenges and insecurity is one of them; flooding is another, and there are other issues.
“For me and my colleague, the Minister of State, and even state governors, the biggest hope is the political will driven by President Bola Tinubu.
“We have a big challenge, but it is not insurmountable. Our target is not only to secure and feed the country but also to export food which we have that potential, and is just there,” he said.
In his remark, the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, who accompanied the Ministers to the Ministry, said Nigeria need a sustainable long and medium-term plan to address food insecurity.
For him, there is a need for governments at all levels to invest in commercial agriculture while adopting modern agricultural techniques such as irrigation, green technology and others.
Read also Zero hunger governance for Nigeria.
“What we are doing now, providing palliatives to Nigerians, will never solve our problems because these are shorter terms solutions; we must look for medium and longer-term sustainable solutions that will address the issue of insecurity, food insecurity in Nigeria.
“Therefore, the only alternative we have is to invest in commercial agriculture, modern agriculture, irrigated agriculture, green technology, emerging technology and so on; that is the only solution.
“Our population is growing in quick geometrical ratio while our food supply is dwindling; unless something is being done, we shall never get rid of these problems”, he said.
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