Efforts towards increasing the production of rice and wheat received a boost on Monday, in a meeting by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, and the task force committee on food security.
The meeting which took place in Abuja assessed reasons behind the attainment of self-sufficiency of the two farm produce.
In attendance were the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Audu Ogbeh, Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun as well as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emiefele were also in attendance. Other state governors present were Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje and Jigawa, Badaru Abubakar.
Speaking to correspondents after the meeting, Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu said the meeting reviewed the wheat and rice programme, noting that the acting president assured them of support towards attaining food sufficiency and security in the country.
“We reviewed where we are with rice production. The Acting President also noted with satisfaction all the efforts by different stakeholders to attain sufficiency in the shortest possible time”, he said.
However, some relevant stakeholders in the agricultural space say focus should not only be place on the two commodities alone, as others need attention too.
“Is it just rice and wheat as if others don’t need urgent attention? None of them is talking about intervention in the aquaculture sector which is also as important”, says the National Vice President of Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria, Nurudeen Tiamiyu.
They however called on the government to make funds available for other aspects of farming if the country is serious about food sufficiency and security.
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