Water, agric ministries’ partnership crucial for food security – FG

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has called for renewed collaboration with its Agriculture and Food Security counterpart towards achieving the nation’s food security mandate.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Shehu Shinkafi, made the call at the opening of the 30th meeting of the National Technical Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation in Abuja on Monday.

He spoke on the theme of the meeting: “People, Planet and Prosperity: Promoting Water Governance for National Food Security.’’

Shinkafi said the collaboration was needed against the backdrop of the recently-declared state of emergency on food security by the federal government.

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He said matters relating to food and water availability and affordability have been placed within the purview of the National Security Council.

He said it was imperative to engage the security architecture to protect farms and farmers and the commitment to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmland nationwide.

A water resources expert, Mr Inuwa Kuta, said achieving water governance for food security was essential and about deliberately putting programmes that would improve the lives of the population.

Kuta said effective water governance is acknowledged as a key factor to impactful food security and socio-economic development of any nation.

Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, the Country Director of World Bank, said quality governance was vital to the achievement of food security.

Mr Samuel Atang, the representative of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, pledged the commitment of Wike’s administration to prioritising access to water, sanitation and hygiene.