Food security emergency: South West farmers hail Nigerian Government

South-West Farmers Association of Nigeria (SWFAN) has commended the Federal Government for declaring a state of emergency on food security, saying it will enhance better yields and crash food prices in the country.

SWFAN Charman, Dr Gabriel Ogunsanya, stated this in an interview in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

Ogunsanya, who is also the President, National Fish Association of Nigeria (NFAN), said the development would also result in improvement in all the areas of agricultural sector which had suffered neglect by successive administrations.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu needs the support of all Nigerians for him to be able to carry out his administration’s plans in agriculture and other sectors of the economy.

“When there is enough land for farming, dams for irrigation and good seedlings, there will be better yields, farmers will make more money and prices of food and other commodities would reduce astronomically.

“Most of the seeds we have been planting in Nigeria are what we have been using for a long time and this has reduced the yields. But if we get better seedlings, there will be quality yields and food problem will be taken care of.

“The declaration of state of emergency on food security by the federal government is, therefore, a good development, as it will lead to better yields.

“We also need to look for better spices of fish and fish breeding as well as engage in massive cattle rearing, among others, so as to reduce the prices of fish and meat,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria presently relies on imported foods, such as rice and others, saying that this had been taken its toll on foreign exchange, thus negatively impacting on the country’s economy.

Ogunsanya expressed optimism that the latest government’s action would lead to more focus on agriculture, with its attendant reduction in foodstuffs, creation of more jobs in the agricultural value chain and prevention of the youth from leaving the country.

Also speaking , Mr Oluwagbemileke Israel, President, Agro- farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, said that the country’s agricultural sector had been left to deteriorate for a long time.

Israel said that most farmers had left farming because of insecurity, lack of funds and dearth of modern equipment to carry out farming activities.

He said that all these had contributed to insufficient food production and the country’s inability to export agricultural produce to other countries of the world.

Israel said that the declaration of state of emergency on security would help in tackling the challenges and enhance mass food production in Nigeria.

“Government should provide lands, funds and storage facilities, among others, for us to have food sufficiency, while all areas of the agricultural sector should be covered by the state of emergency declaration on food security,” he said.

NAN / Foluke Ibitomi