Abubakar Kyari, the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed that the aim of his team is not only to secure and feed Nigerians but also to export excess food, by leveraging on the agricultural potential of the country.
Kyari made this known during a social event organized by the Ministry and the Minister of State, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, stating that Nigeria is suffering from malnutrition, which is caused by flood insecurity.
The minister stated that hunger is one of the big problems the country is currently facing, narrating that there are challenges to food security, which include insecurity, flooding, among other issues.
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He noted that for him and his colleague, the Minister of State, and even state governors, the biggest hope they have is the political will, driven by President Bola Tinubu, to surmount food challenges with concerted efforts.
Professor Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno State who accompanied the Ministers to the Ministry stated that Nigeria needs a sustainable long and medium-term plan, saying something must be done to tackle food insecurity in the country, where population is growing in quick geometrical ratio while food supply is dwindling.
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The governor noted that providing palliatives to Nigerians will never solve any problems because these are short-term solutions, adding that there is a need to look for medium- and longer-term sustainable solutions that will address the problem of food insecurity in Nigeria, where population is growing in a quick geometrical ratio while food supply is dwindling.
Therefore, the only alternative we have is to invest in commercial agriculture, modern agriculture, irrigated agriculture, green technology, emerging technology, and so on. That is the only solution. Zulum noted