The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security have called for a stronger synergy between the Ministry and media practitioners to boost the government’s food security drive.
The call was made during a one day workshop for agriculture journalist organized by the Ministry, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital with the theme “Building partnership with the media for food security”.
While addressing media practitioners at the event the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi said the workshop provides an avenue for the media to better understand the Ministry’s mandate and showcase its achievements to Nigerians and the world.
“I hope that this workshop will offer deeper understanding and wider knowledge of the activities, programmes and indeed the achievements of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. It is essential for us to let Nigerians and indeed the world know the efforts being made to achieve food and nutrition sufficiency thereby, stem hunger, starvation and malnutrition in our country”.
Dr. Ogunbiyi noted that agriculture is important to the country’s economic growth and the government to partner the media to enable sensitization of the public on the need to embrace agriculture.
He noted that the media has the power to shape narratives, and encouraged that such power be used to sensitise the people.
“The press we know possesses significant power that can always change the negative narration of situations. I want to encourage you to channel this power towards sensitizing our people to take a renewed interest in agriculture so that together, we can feed ourselves and develop our nation”.
He assured that the Ministry will continue to provide the necessary and enabling environment for media.
On his part, the Director in charge of press at the ministry Dr. Joel Oruche called for stronger synergy between the media and the ministry in order to better communicate government’s programmes and policies to the public.
“Essentially, as we make effort towards ensuring food security in our dear country, it is important that we forge a strong synergy to ensure that this is achieved”
“Your duty in this regard is to continuously educate the public on the policies, programmes and activities of the ministry that impact on farmers. Small holder farmers indeed depend on your ability to educate them on methodologies, inputs availability and application of implements that can enhance their yield”. He noted
He urged media practitioners present to make good use of the opportunity to update their knowledge of the ministry’s activities for quality and more positive reportage.
Also speaking, the Technical Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Dr. Kingsley Osadolor said how informed media practitioners are about pertinent issues on food security determines how informed the public get.
He noted that the role of the media cannot be downplayed as the ministry cannot reach the people on its own.
Oyenike Oyeniyi
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