by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Nigeria has been told to give adequate attention to programs that prioritize climate-smart agricultural practices to enhance resilience to climate change, mitigate risks, and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.
This was disclosed by the media practitioners under the umbrella of the ‘Agriculture Correspondents Association of Nigeria’ (ACAN), and has called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to swing into positive actions to achieve the target set by President Bola Tinubu in making the country self-sufficient in food production.
A statement was issued by the association’s Chairman, Collins Nnabuife, on Wednesday, in which it indicated that, this would reduce the cost of food commodities and the current hardship on Nigerians.
Collins Nnabuife noted that, “Since the current administration declared an emergency on agriculture and food sector, no tangible actions have been taken towards implementing policies that can ameliorate the situation.”
He said the government should immediately stop the vain talks and make moves to end the food insecurity in the country.
While noting with dismay that, despite the food outlook reports recently released by some credible international organisations, indicating that some states of the federation were already on acute hunger danger list, the ministers of agriculture were yet to hit the ground running with policy implementation.
He stressed that, “The government should facilitate better market access for farmers and promote value addition along the agricultural value chain.
“They should also create avenues for farmers to access local and international markets, which will not only increase income for farmers but also position Nigeria as a key player in the global agricultural market.
“There should be advocates for policy reforms that address challenges such as land tenure, trade barriers, and regulatory bottlenecks, fostering an enabling environment for agricultural growth.
“There is a need for immediate youth-inclusion and programs that attract and engage youths in agriculture through training, mentorship, and incentives to revitalize the sector and address the aging farming population.
“The ministries of agriculture, both at the Federal and State levels, should evolve stakeholder-collaboration, to spur inclusive participation among stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector players, and civil society organizations, to ensure a holistic and coordinated approach towards agricultural development.