President Muhammadu Buhari today, Monday, inaugurated the Food Security Council (FSC), with a vow that Nigerians must be able to produce enough to adequately feed themselves.
The President, who heads the Council, declared: “we shall stay focused, first and foremost on securing our food requirements and employment for our people, especially the youths. We shall feed ourselves and build an inclusive Nigeria for ourselves and for future generations.”
He expressed joy that the decision of his government to establish such Council at a Presidential level has become a reality, saying that the country’s need for critical job creating sectors which has been ignored for decades is now beginning to yield results.
According to Buhari, a key mandate of the Food Security Council is to continuously assess and enhance these infant but impactful programs, thereby guaranteeing they achieve their full potential.
He recalled that his administration had earlier introduced the National Social Investment Programs targeting millions of Nigerians who are living from hand to mouth, adding: “we launched agricultural programs focusing on import substitution, job creation and rural development thereby bringing socio-economic transformation to the millions of citizens living in some of the most remote rural parts of our country.
“We commenced the long term Pollution Remediation Projects in the Niger Delta with the hope of restoring dignity and normalcy to the millions of Nigerians impacted by decades of pollution in their communities. Fishing and farming will resume once blighted areas are rehabilitated.
“We intensified our participation in the Lake Chad Basin Commission with the goal of reversing the shrinkage of the lake, which impacts the livelihoods of over 45 million farmers, herdsmen and fishermen in the LCBC countries.
“We issued the first ever green bond that will act as a catalyst for investments in renewable energy and afforestation projects. This was oversubscribed, sharing market confidence in the country and our Government.
“We established the Agro Rangers Unit within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to protect the billions of naira of investments recorded in Nigeria’s agricultural sector across the country.
“We continued to equip the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to fight maritime criminals such as pirates and sea robbers who adversely impact offshore and inland fishing activities in our waters.”
President Buhari said that these programs and many more, have started yielding results and if sustained, will transform the lives of millions of Nigerians across the country.
“We are well aware that the full results will not be felt or seen overnight. The journey is long. It is therefore our collective duty to ensure the actual and potential positive impacts of these programs are sustained, improved and expanded.”
He said that the government would develop new programs and projects that will protect and indeed, create more jobs in farming, fisheries, animal husbandry and forestry.
The President said that in carry out its assignment, the Council will not lose sight of the other issues that will impact the food production ambitions such as population growth, urbanization, industrialization, rural infrastructure development and climate change.
He acknowledged that these factors will also stress and stretch our land and water resources which means “we must invest in research and development to enhance yields and outputs.
“Moreover, we are not insulated from Global and Regional events. Accordingly we develop local programs, but not lose sight of events from a far and their impact on us. Specifically, issues such as smuggling and dumping, which is our responsibility to ensure we develop and enforce strategies to protect Nigeria from these illegal and unhealthy imports.”
The Food Security Council includes Governors representing the six geopolitical zones and key stakeholders representing the core sectors of the Food Value Chain.
The President promised that the Council will be a platform to further enhance the collaboration between the Federal and State Governments with which it would share success stories and collaborate to address common threats.
He recommended regular consultations which he said, will be held with investors, development partners, financiers, academia and our friends and allies abroad. [myad]
