By Steve Oko, Umuahia
The President, Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN), Professor Jude Mbanasor, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his recent declaration of state of emergency on food security.
Professor Mbanasor who made the commendation in a media chat in Umuahia, said that the policy, if well implemented , had the potential to holistically address the challenges of food insecurity in Nigeria.
The Professor of Agricultural Economics, however, added that for the policy to record a huge success, the Federal Government should involve his members and other stakeholders nation wide for its effective implementation.
He noted that while the policy initiative was urgently needed to address the food crisis in Nigeria, the real experts cannot be ignored.
According to him, agricultural society of Nigeria as the umbrella body for all scientists in food and agricultural industry, had a critical role to play in the new policy.
He acknowledged that the government’s plan to immediately release fertilizer and grains to farmers and households was in the right direction, but that sustainability could only be realistic through the inputs of agricultural scientists.
” First of all, I must commend President Tinubu for this timely intervention because food is the most essential thing Nigerians need at the moment. But our members who are experts scattered in all universities, Research Institutes and even informal sector are also needed to drive the programme”, Prof Mbanasor submitted.
He announced that his society will discuss the Policy at her 57th National Conference coming up in October 2023 at the Federal University,Lafia , Nasarawa state with the hope of submitting a position paper to the federal government in a bid to ensure smooth implementation of the project .
Prof Mbanasor also argued that getting it right with food security will also lead to economic development since both are intrinsically linked.
Said he, ” food is the essential thing Nigerians need , especially the vulnerable and the poor who constitute more than 70 percent of the population”
He therefore urged the state Governments to key into the project with a view to achieving the much needed food pricing,food security and food sustainability.
According to him, involving other tiers of government in the implementation would broaden the scope of operations and engender more participation.
Prof Mbanasor also said there should be broader consultation among agricultural and food production value chain stakeholders to articulate and implement the policy.
