For Nigeria to achieve food security, it has been suggested that the government at the centre should embark on proactive measures that will see a long term and short term approaches to arrest food shortage in the country.
A certified banker and risk manager, Elder Steve Agbata urged the Federal Government to release food grains from government strategic grain reserves. This according to him, will force down the increasing cost of food items in the market.
He, however, observed that the recent hikes in Commodity Price Index in Nigeria is not unconnected with the rising wave of insecurity and the clashes between farmers and herders, which have scared potential farmers out of their farms.
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“Government must not think that all is well because if care is not taken it would get out of hands sooner than later,” he said.
Elder Steve Agbata said the FG must live up to its responsibility of protecting lives and properties, adding that this will encourage farmers to go back to their farms without fear of attacks from herders.
Elder Steve Agbata said, “we must stop holding on to one-dimensional answers. We must all be dispassionate in our search for solutions.These challenges are multi-coloured and so the solutions must be diverse.
“The issue of insecurity, unemployment and extremism has many things to do with governance. We must tackle our deep and widespread poverty.
“If we limit government’s role under the erroneous assumption that government spending is intrinsically unproductive, then we are moving towards failure.
“Building vital infrastructure such as irrigation and water catchment systems will help agriculture, arrest desertification and provide jobs.
“Another readily available area primed for investment is the agro-allied industry which, for the northern region is particularly advantageous”
Popularly called Eldersteveverified, the former banker warned that there is need to ensure there is no famine that can threaten National Food Security.
“Government can be wasteful or it can be the key component to growth just as a private sector business can function profitably or spend itself into bankruptcy,” he added.