Food insecurity threat to national survival – Senate panel

The Senate Committee on Agriculture yesterday said food insecurity was a threat to the nation’s survival and called for a collaboration between the legislature and the executive to address the problem.

The committee chairman, Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara) said this during an interactive session with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, at the National Assembly, Abuja.

The minister was summoned by the Senate and House of Representatives joint committees on agriculture to provide some explanations on why there is hunger despite the several policies initiated by the federal government.

Mustapha said, “We are determined to end food insecurity in Nigeria. Nigerians can’t survive as a nation without food security.

FG tasks Al-Muhibbah varsity on innovative solutions

FG tasks road contractors on cost reduction

“We are all stakeholders in this important sector and we can’t afford to fail our people. We are committed to ensuring the policies of the government on agriculture are implemented. We will ensure increased food production.”

The House committee chairman, Hon. Bello Kaoje, said collaboration between the legislature and the executive will help in ensuring food security for Nigeria.

Kyari, however, said steps were being taken by the federal government to boost food production. 

The efforts, he said, included the planned distribution of fertilizer to farmers, the launching of dry-season farming, and collaboration with the World Bank for assistance.