Following the continued outcry by the Nigerian populace over food insecurity and uncontrolled inflation, the Federal Government has inaugurated the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) as part of its efforts to examine and tackle the menace of hardship head-on.
During the inauguration of the unit at the state house in Abuja, today Friday, Vice President Kashim Shettima revealed that it was part of the president Tinubu renewed Hope agenda ongoing to tackle hunger in the land.
The federal government has also seek the collaboration of other stakeholders like the states, development partners and other critical partners to join hand in the fight to address the soaring prices of commodities and general food insecurity in the country.
Addressing members comprising governors, cabinet ministers and representatives of development partners, Shettima said, “The nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with the reality, the better.
“Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment and this is why all hands have to be on deck. We are in a food security crisis but it also provides us the opportunity to re-engineer and reposition the nation on a firmer footing”.
Outlining the roles and mandate of the PFSCU committee, Shettima reiterated that the unit was not created to usurp the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture, noting that the urgency and seriousness of the matter at hand requires that all hands must be on deck to face the monster.
The vice president also made reference to the Green Imperative Programme, a government-catalyzed, private sector-driven, agricultural industrialization programme, as one initiative which the PFSCU must work assiduously to activate and operationalize as they move out to achieve result.
According to him, with improved farming practices, improved seeds, use of fertilizers, Nigeria’s agricultural productivity could be turned around for the better.
Speaking earlier, the governors on the committee promised to marshal out plans that will modernise farming practices, increase crop yields, and transform Nigeria into a self-sufficient food producer.
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River said his state is looking to feed the country, adding that his government must modernize agriculture to feed the population.
“We are an agrarian state, and we have stepped up our game,” Governor Otu noted.
On his part, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, emphasised the need for a coordinated approach, citing low productivity and population growth as a major challenge to the nation’s food security drive.
He called for investment in commercial agriculture, improved funding, and enhanced security for farmers.
Also, Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, highlighted the state’s potential to achieve food security.
“All that is needed is the political will to drive the process. Our lands are very fertile. In Jigawa, there are places where we are yielding ten tonnes per hectare of rice. There are so many places like that. As of today, our average in Jigawa State is about 12.56 per hectare. We are on the right course. What we need is sustained political will,” the governor explained.
On his part, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has called out that his state should be used as a pilot for the President’s food security initiative.
He claimed that his state has already invested over N100 billion in agricultural mechanization, with 5,000 tractors and twenty pilot irrigation systems available.