Bayelsa Monarch Gives Recipe for Food Security in Nigeria

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As International Family Foundation Engages FG On Scarcity, High Prices

Concerted efforts in subsistence and commercial agriculture, have been underscored as one of the effective ways to tackle the spate of food scarcity, unemployment, poverty, hunger and criminality in Nigeria.

Paramount ruler (Ebeneken) of Yenaka-Atissa in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, HRH Ovie Omele, KSP, stated this while delivering a lecture on Food Security, at a conference organised by the International Family Foundation (IFF) in Abuja.

HRH Ovie, noted that decline in farming due to banditry and kidnapping of farmers, has drastically reduced crop production for local consumption and sales, thus causing hike in the price of food stuff.

According to him, the trend has caused untold hardship on poor households that could not afford enough foods to meet their nutritional needs.

The paramount ruler further stated that many farmers have disengaged from farming, while some others were barely doing the little they could, amid the insecurity in the country.

He pointed out that the harrowing poverty, starvation and lack of jobs arising from decline in agricultural activities, were also major reasons for some citizens’ indulgence in fetish and criminal means of survival.

From a world perspective, the guest lecturer, re-affirmed the impact of climatic changes occasioned by global warming, which he said has equally affected farm outputs, especially in the Niger Delta where crude oil and gas have polluted the ecosystem.

Worried by the scenarios, HRH Ovie, called on the Federal and state governments, as well as private sector operators to encourage agriculture in its practical sense, stressing that food insecurity was the worst form of insecurity in any society.

The Monarch also urged the Federal Government to redouble efforts in tackling terrorism, banditry and kidnappings in order to provide a secured atmosphere for production of food crops by local and corporate farmers.

Other measures advocated by HRH Ovie Omele, include provision of infrastructures at the grassroots; establishment of farm settlements and rural industrial hubs; crop research centres; education of farmers on cutting-edge and environment-friendly farming techniques; provision of fertilizers and creation of marketing boards to buy up local products.

He expressed optimism that the measures, if implemented, could help to boost production, make food more affordable, provide employment opportunities for the youths, tackle poverty and even reduce physical insecurity in Nigeria.

Earlier in a keynote address, a prolific scholar and environmentalist, Prof. Ubom Bassey had decried the problem of food insecurity in Nigeria.

Prof. Ubom who is a don at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Abuja, harped that food scarcity constitutes one of the most daunting challenges to Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

The erudite scholar maintained that, national self-sufficiency in crop production correllates with social wellbeing and overall security of the citizenry, thus leaders should muster the will to tackle food insecurity frontally, while also adopting solutions proffered by academics.

In a welcome address, President of the International Family Foundation (IFF), Prof. Emeka Oguzie said, the essence of the summit was to ganar ideas from experts, to proffer solutions to the lingering problem of food scarcity in the face of hyper-inflation affecting the poor populace.

Prof. Emeka who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Research, at the Federal University of Technology (FUTO) Owerri, lamented Nigeria’s inability to fully harness its agriculture potential.

He therefore, implored the Federal Government to adopt the recommendations of the summit, to enhance human and physical development.

Other speakers and panelists at the conference include Dr. Kester Digbam from Novena University, Abuja; Dr. Ola ifatimehin, Bayero University and Dr. Olympus Ejue of the Department of Theater Arts, University of Abuja.

Inauguration of Abuja Chapter of the International Family Foundation (IFF); award of scholarships to orphans as well as kick off of IFF pad-a-girl campaign and distribution of free hygienic sanitary pads to school girls were other highlights of the event.

The event also had celebrities from the entertainment industry, with Nollywood’s ace thespian, Mr. Francis Duru as the compeer.

Etete Enideneze, writes from Abuja