Tackle flood to fight food insecurity, farmers tell Tinubu

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Tackle flood to fight food insecurity, farmers tell Tinubu

The President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabiru Ibrahim, has urged President Bola Tinubu to tackle flooding and erosion in order to ensure food security.

The AFAN president said this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, following the declaration of a state of emergency on food security by the President.

Ibrahim said, “The announcement of the President is such a very encouraging and very welcome development. The farmers and all Nigerians are hopeful that the attainment of food security is around the corner now.

“The government should intervene in flood and erosion control in farming areas in addition to the annual Nigerian Meteorological Agency predictions and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency flood warnings.

“Increasing what we produce and eating what we produce is the only available pathway to the attainment of any form of National prosperity today.”

Speaking on the proposed creation of the National Commodity Board by the President, Ibrahim stated that it will help farmers from being cheated by middlemen.

“It is absolutely necessary for a formal commodity exchange board to be used as a vehicle for the sales and marketing of the produce of our smallholder farmers who are often cheated by middlemen and unscrupulous traders,” he added.

It would be recalled that in 2022, 676,945 farmlands were destroyed as a result of flooding as stated by the 2023 performance scorecard presented by the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Management, Sadiya Farouq.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network has lauded Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency on food security in the country.

The human rights group said this in a statement signed by its Director, Mr Franklyn Isong, and Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mr Vincent Aluu, respectively, and made available to newsmen in Uyo on Saturday.

The statement noted that it was a timely intervention, given the devastating effects of flooding, and the rising cost of farm inputs in the country.

It, however, disagreed on the planned N500 billion palliative to 12 million households to be placed on an N8,000 stipend per month for a period of six months.

It wondered what the paltry sum of N267.00 per day would do to solve the problems of Nigeria given the present low purchasing power and high inflationary trend.

“The pro-democracy group queried the method used by the Federal Government to determine the benefitting households.

“Insisting that the programme is another political settlement for the political class and the rich in the corridors of the government at the detriment of the poor masses,” he said.