Climate Change: Stakeholders Seek Collaboration to Address Nigeria’s Food Crisis
Gloria Essien, Abuja
Stakeholders have called for collaboration between all levels of government and the private sector to address the food crisis caused by inconsistent policies, climate change, and other environmental issues in Nigeria.
They made the call at a one day National Sensitisation workshop on the state of the economy organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation on the Implementation of the 10th House Legislative Agenda.
The experts in the various sectors emphasised on the need for the government and the private sector to work closely with the other key players in the sub-sectors of the nations economy with a view to diversifying the economy.
The Chairman House Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation, Patrick Umoh said that Nigeria was in dire need of innovations that would curb food crisis in the country.
In a presentation, the Managing Director of the Anthil Concepts Limited, Dr.Emeka Okengwu said that “the first step for stakeholders in Nigeria towards a green economy is to plant economic trees and high-yielding crops in both homes and farms.”
He said all Nigerians must have the capacity to be bold to engage in agriculture for the nation to be able to feed its huge and continuously growing population.
The Chairman, Energy Commission of Nigeria represented by a Director Dr. Jessy Asogwa said that “data is critical to the transformation of the energy sector of the nation’s economy.”
He further stated that for the nation’s economy to be diversified, there is need look inwards to see how it can build its own capacity.
Dr Asogwa added that there is also need for the requisite infrastructure to drive the process of change.
Other Speakers and facilitators including University Professors and heads of ministries, departments and agencies of the Nigerian government also called for a proper scrutiny of the recruitment process of the leadership of the nation’s political system at various levels.
These stakeholders and other experts harped on the need for the nation’s urgent transition to to a blue, green and digital economy for a sustainable future for the present and future generation of Nigerian citizens.
Some of the key topics chosen at the well attended event include; Nigeria Beyond Oil: Exploring the Stable Alternatives for A Stable and Sustainable Economy in an Emergent Green World, Enacting Nigeria’s Digital Economic Revolution Through Effective Mushrooming and Management of Start-up Ecosystem and Agropreneurship; and Smart and Sustainable Agriculture for National Food and Socio-economic Security among others.
Mercy Chukwudiebere