The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria to establish grants towards ensuring food security in the country.
The lawmakers urged the ministries and the CBN to “put in place adequate measures that will boost food security production in the country” and “provide a monetary grant for the promotion of national food security.”
They resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to engage food security experts and recommend medium and long-term remedial measures that would promote the nation’s food security strategic plans.
These resolutions were based on a motion moved by a member, Richard Gbande, titled ‘Need to address challenges of food security in Nigeria.’
Gbande said in the motion that the continuous insecurity, unemployment, climate change, population growth and low-income earnings by families had caused negative effects on Nigeria’s food security food plans.
He also noted that the United Nations had set ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture as the second of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals achievable by the year 2030.
According to the lawmaker, Nigeria’s population is 200 million and it is projected to be about 450 million in a few decades.
Gbande said, “The House is worried that the novel coronavirus, COVID–19, pandemic has shown that dangers lie ahead if we do not begin adequate plans to invest in agricultural production and locally made farms produce.
“The House is also worried that the absence of an efficient and valid agriculture model and framework, increase unemployment and low household income and general standard of living portends great danger to the country’s food security strategy.”
