World Food Day: FG promises water for 2023/24 crops

* FAO, others speak

In the fullfilment of the Federal Government ( FG) renewed hope promises for accelerated commercial food production, the Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ( FMAFS) Sen. Abubakar Kyari has promised the application of an irritated farming system for 2023/24 seasons, just as the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO) Director General ( DG) and farmers have called for science based policies and technologies support respectively for the sector.

All these were said yesterday at Abuja press briefing and official visit to a farmers' cooperative to mark World Food Day ( WFD) celebration. 

Sen. Abubakar Kyari said a clear road map between his ministry and Water Resources has been drawn to optimally ensured water supply in all the River Basin farming areas.

Speaking to the theme of this year WFD " Water is Life, Water is foods", the minister said it was in tandem to achieving food security through round the year water supply to ensure massive food production on the priority crops for 2023/24 farming seasons.

He added that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the FG to improve food systems and alleviate hunger has engendered a clear road map on water supply to farmers through irrigation in collaboration with the ministry of water resources and it's river basin dams.

Kyari said the renewed synergy and cooperation between the two ministries have begun saying water would be released for the 2023/24 dry season farming to ensure increased production to stem prices of food.

This he said would begin with priority crops including wheat, rice, maize and cassava with  plans to aggressively up-scale to other crops and livestock/ fisheries across the federation.

 The minister said that water has become critical to ensure sustainable nutritional food security adding that "the exercise will ultimately combat world hunger and make wholesome food available for everyone"

 He however noted the declining water resources due to climate, urbanization and rapid population growth saying all these were great threat to regular water supply with an adverse effect on food and agricultural livelihood in developing countries.

Speaking on behalf of FAO DG, the representative of the office in North East, Nigeria, Mr. Al Hassan Cisse, emphasized the need for collective action and interrelated contributions of various stakeholders to achieve better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and ultimately a better life for all.

The DG called for science and evidence based policies, efficient water management by farmers, and water related businesses to ensure a prosperous future for both people and the planet.

To further commemorate the day, the Permanent Secretary ( PS) and staff of the ministry paid a visit to five farms in the Federal Capital Territory.

In another development during a visit to cluster farms and a livestock feed company, the Permanent Secretary (PS) FMAFS Dr. Ernest Umakhihe disclosed that the FG through his ministry would support small and big scale farmers to accomplish the call of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda on revitalizing the food sector toward alleviating hunger. 

Umakhihe said it is time to take agric to the next technology level where food production will be massively increased for job creations saying both small and large scale farmers would be supported in their areas of need.

Speaking to Food Farm News,  representative of the Kilangua multipurpose farmers' cooperative unions, Ibrahim Dauda Kilangua disclosed that the community has about five farmers groups in cooperative that are into rice, maize, cassava and vegetable crops in an area of 150 hectares thereby creating 150 direct labour , and 500 indirect employment yearly for both men and women. 

According to him “Our challenges are tractors, organic and inorganic fertilizers , processing equipment, herbicides pesticides, storage facility, irrigation facilities, improved seeds, animal feed and transportation means like tricycles"