- The National Food Security Council would be inaugurated soon and would be chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari
- The president made this disclosure when he met with key stakeholders in the rice value chain
- He assured all Nigerians that his administration is committed to Nigeria feeding itself
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, March 13, said that he would be heading the National Food Security Council to be inaugurated very soon.
This was stated by the president during his meeting with key stakeholders in the rice value chain, The Nation reports.
NAIJ.com noted that those to be included in the council are the state governors, ministers and other stakeholders in the food value chain.
READ ALSO: CAN blows hot over number of churches destroyed in Benue state, blames herdsmen
He said: “I will be inaugurating a National Food Security Council that I will personally chair. The council will include governors, ministers, security agencies and key stakeholders across the entire agricultural segments of farming, fisheries and livestock management.
“Our experiences today of clashes between farmers and herdsmen or the challenges fishermen face due to global warming and other environmental factors clearly demonstrates that our quest for food security has a direct link to our national security objectives. The Food Security Council will ensure alignment and bring efficiencies.
“I want to assure all Nigerians that this administration is committed to Nigeria feeding itself. And from what I have heard today, this can happen in not too distant future.”
President Buhari received delegation of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria on Tuesday, March 13 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. (Photo credit: Twitter, @BashirAhmaad)
President Buhari met with the Delegation of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria on Tuesday, March 13, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. (Photo credit: Twitter: @BashirAhmaad)
The president congratulated the farmers, the processors and the rice dealers for all the successes achieved to date.
He added: “Specifically, I want to thank you for believing in this administration and our commitment to economic diversification and inclusive growth.
“Your investments of over N300 billion are located in some of the most remote, and indeed, most forgotten parts of the country. And a significant percentage of these investments were made during the recession. This shows you have great confidence in our policies and programs.
“Thankfully, Nigerians have now woken up to the fact that it is an embarrassment for us, as a nation, to import most of what we eat, given the great natural gifts of our country.
“We have the fertile land, we have water and the manpower to feed ourselves. Therefore, we have no reason to import essential foodstuffs.
“The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding today between the farmers, millers and rice dealers is the natural next step."
President Buhari, VP Osinbajo and the Delegation of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria. (Photo credit: Twitter, @BashirAhmaad)
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari stated that Nigeria and the rest of Africa must brace up to meet the challenges of food shortage that the continent was going to experience.
President Muhammudu Buhari said this while urging African countries to focus more on agriculture to avert the looming food shortage.
He said: "We are currently facing some shortages on staple food because of our inability to modernized agriculture over the years.”
Ebonyi state, Nigeria and West Africa's food capital - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng