Stakeholders Brainstorm on Food Security, Economic Devt

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

 As part of activities for the 45th sessions of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development, stakeholders in the Agriculture Sector have converged on Jos, the Plateau State capital to brainstorm, strengthen agricultural value chains to ensure food security and economic development in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agricultural Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, who declared the technical session open, said that the focus of the session is on fine-tuning, developing and improving the commodity value chain development process.

Represented by Director Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services, Mr. Shehu Bello, Umakhihe said the value chain approach to developing Agriculture was intensified during the Agricultural Transformation 2011-2015.

He said: “The present administration had sustained and enhanced it via the successive frameworks of the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) 2016 – 2020 and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022-2027.

“The ministry through the launch of NATIP has demonstrated commitment of the sector to address all conceivable challenges besetting the sector with a focus on strengthening and developing agricultural value chain.

“The foundation to achieving the desired success is the commitment to the provision of incentives to increase the output and quality of agricultural commodities to meet and surpass national requirements.

“It is ultimately to achieve a diversified economic base with agriculture leading the way for the non-oil sectors of the economy.”

He said that it contributed enormously to food security, increased productivity and efficiency, engenders diversification, generates higher incomes and reduces post-harvest losses and above all generated employment opportunities.

“Consequently, agricultural commodity value chain development as a cornerstone and strategic implementation imperatives for the prevailing sectoral policy framework requires a robust discussion and deliberate decisions on our intervention models and the next steps for the major subsectors.

“The sectors include; crop/horticulture production, livestock/veterinary services and fisheries and aquaculture with other cut crossing issues in the Agribusiness undertakings as we commence the implementation of the policy.

“Please note that this technical session is the forerunner to the council meeting and it is dedicated to the exchange of ideas on the agricultural development process in the country.

“It is for setting the tone and issues for deliberation and discussions at the Council, I urge you all to approach the deliberations with a broad mind, add value to all the issues and proffer concrete and practical suggestions that will assist Council in reaching meaningful decisions,” he added.

While speaking, Commissioner for Agricultural and Natural Resources, Dr. Hosea Finangwai urged the Council to proffer a permanent solution to potato blight, a disease ravaging Irish potatoes in the state, adding that the disease caused monumental financial losses to farmers in the state this year.