THESHIELD Garkuwa
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The Sorghum Farmers Association of Nigeria (SOFAN), are with an intention to move the farming activities forward that is why the association commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for declaring state of emergency on food security.
The President of the association, Alhaji Lawal Yakubu Gada made the commendation when he addressed newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.
Alhaji Yakubu Gada said that the action of the president cannot come at a better time than now when the world is facing myriad of challenges militating the food supply chains in the world, Nigeria inclusive.
He said that the declaration would greatly make Nigeria more self reliant in food production, hence be made more food secure.
The President also said that sadly recalled how the global food supply chains were affected by the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, the world’s global food supply chain is also currently being disrupted by the ongoing Ukraine/Russian war, especially wheat and fertilizer.
Alhaji Gada also recalled how the border closure by the last administration took a negative toll on the food supply chains in the country.
Gada said: ” The declaration of the state of emergency on food security will therefore insulate Nigeria from such obnoxious effects and several related ones.
“It will also encourage more Nigerians to invest more funds in agricultural and agro-industrial activities in the country.”
In the same vein, Yakubu stated that the declaration will create more direct and indirect jobs in the country.
He said that it will also shore up the nation’s.economy and result in the spike of its external reserves.
The SOFAN National President further happily noted that Nigeria is now self sufficient in sorghum production.
“We are also currently exporting sorghum to Niger republic and other West African countries.
“Sorghum is a very resilient crop that easily adapts to climate change and it’s multitude of negative effects including food production.
“Another comparative advantage of sorghum is that it is being produced in almost all parts of the country.”
Alhaji Yakubu Gada further explained that sorghum is now an industrial and cash crop, as such it is not only a food crop.
He, therefore, averred that the commodity direly needs more support from the Federal Government.
The SOFAN National President also said that such interventions from the Federal Government will help to address some of the most formidable challenges inhibiting adequate food production in the country.
He listed such interventions to include the timely supply of fertilizer, pesticides and other farm inputs.
Alhaji Yakubu also called on the Federal Government to accord priority attention to some farming communities that were ravaged by flood in 2022 and previous years.
In the same vein, the SOFAN President appealed for more measures to boost security in the nation, with a view to bolstering food production.
He pledged:” We are therefore ready to partner with the Federal Government to effectively facilitate the realizaton of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This is more so in the direction of helping the Federal Government to achieve the desired impact of the declaration of the state of emergency on food security,” Alhaji Yakubu added.
