THE Federal Government has inaugurated the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) as part of its efforts to tackle the prevailing hardship in the land.
While inaugurating the unit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Friday, Vice President Kashim Shettima said it was part of the present administration’s ongoing plan to tackle hunger.
The presidency has also engaged the states, development partners and other critical stakeholders in the efforts to address the soaring prices of commodities and general food insecurity in the country.
Addressing members comprising governors, cabinet ministers and representatives of development partners, Shettima said, “The nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with the reality, the better.
“Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment and this is why all hands have to be on deck. We are in a food security crisis but it also provides us the opportunity to re-engineer and reposition the nation on a firmer footing”.
Outlining the mandate of the PFSCU, the Vice President said the unit was not created to usurp the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture, noting that the urgency and seriousness of the matter at hand requires the ideas and resources of all stakeholders.
Shettima also made reference to the Green Imperative Programme, a government-catalyzed, private sector-driven, agricultural industrialization programme, as one initiative which the PFSCU must work assiduously to activate and operationalize.
He stated that with improved farming practices, improved seeds, use of fertilizers, Nigeria’s agricultural productivity could be turned around for the better.
Speaking earlier, governors on the committee outlined plans to modernise farming practices, increase crop yields, and transform Nigeria into a self-sufficient food producer.
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River said his state is looking to feed the country, adding that his government must modernize agriculture to feed the population.
“We are an agrarian state, and we have stepped up our game,” Governor Otu noted.
On his part, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, emphasised the need for a coordinated approach, citing low productivity and population growth as a major challenge to the nation’s food security drive.
He called for investment in commercial agriculture, improved funding, and enhanced security for farmers.
Also, Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, highlighted the state’s potential to achieve food security.
“All that is needed is the political will to drive the process. Our lands are very fertile. In Jigawa, there are places where we are yielding ten tonnes per hectare of rice. There are so many places like that. As of today, our average in Jigawa State is about 12.56 per hectare. We are on the right course. What we need is sustained political will,” the governor explained.
On his part, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, proposed his state as a pilot for the President’s food security initiative.
He claimed that Niger has invested over N100 billion in agricultural mechanization, with 5,000 tractors and twenty pilot irrigation systems available.