World Food Day: NGO asks Government to stop killing of farmers

 

ActionAids Nigeria has called on the Federal Government ( FG) to checkmate the present killing of farmers majorly in the North Central region, where major staples are produced.

This concern was raised at the media dialogue held at the instance of ActionAids in Abuja, a day before the World Food Day celebration.

Speaking, the organization's Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, said that insecurity has continued to disrupt farming activities in states like Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, Taraba, Cross River, and Niger, with a negative impact on the nation's food system.

She stressed that " In Benue alone, the destruction of farmland and displacement of farmers have severely affected key crops like yam, maize, and rice."

Mamedu emphasized that 30.6 million Nigerians across states, including FCT, could face food insecurity due to the lean season of 2025, adding that there is a need to accelerate intervention to reach people still at risk of hunger and malnutrition.

She also called for an immediate national poverty summit towards a unified effort to develop a clear national action plan for food security and poverty eradication.

Mamedu further urged for an increased investment in agriculture, especially in climate-resilient and small older-focused practices.

Also the organization called on the National Assembly to ensure transparency and timely release of Agricultural fund to foods productivity noting that several states had just released only 25% of their budget for the sector.