Strong agribusiness 'll facilitate food security attainment - NABG

Amidst the current high food prices and hunger in the land, the Nigeria Agribusiness Group, NABG, has declared Nigeria needs strong agribusiness to attain and sustain food security as panacea to challenges in the agricultural sector.

This was stated by the newly elected President of NABG, Arc Ibrahim Kabir, while noting the strategic role Nigeria plays and occupies in Africa's food system based on her largest population and economy.

Kabir pointed out that Nigeria's vintage position in food production and supply to her immediate neighbours gives her hedge and advantage, therefore, if she wants to maintain the position and become a veritable market to Africa based on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCTA there are factors she needs to consider and also address.

He said: "Nigeria has a unique position in Africa’s food system as a country with the largest population and economy in Africa.

"To be able to sustainably feed its growing population and to continue to play its role as the giant of Africa by providing food to so many countries in its immediate neighborhood and as well remain a veritable market to all of Africa through its role as the most important player in AfCFTA it needs to address the following issues: Embark on the mass education of Smallholder Farmers, SHFs, and potential agriprenuers on the need to produce food all-year-round by embracing Science, Technology & innovation,Climate smart Agricultural production, sustainable value addition,distribution, marketing etc.

"Address the issues around the provision of sustainable  energy, stemming of insecurity, provision of adequate mechanization, providing sustainable subsidy on agricultural inputs and the evolution of a private sector led veritable commodity exchanges etc.

"Make sufficient effort to make all the institutions with cross cutting relations with agriculture to work efficiently. 

"These institutions include, the Nigerian customs, Department of Quarantine, SON, NAFDAC, Trade & Investment, Export promotion, environment, power, science and technology, the CBN, research institutes, food safety centres of excellence, NALDA, NADF, etc.

"The investment necessary to ensure the seamless attainment of the aforementioned milestones may appear daunting but absolutely necessary and thankfully doable with sufficient political will."

However, Kabir who also is the National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, and chairman BOT, National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria, NAFN, also warned that, "The prevailing circumstances in Nigeria call for concerted effort from the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Subnational governments, the private sector and in fact, all Nigerians to address the real issues otherwise things will continue to be difficult for all of us."

Meanwhile, the newly elected President who took over from the late President of NABG, Emmanuel Ijewere, along with other elected officials, the Vice President, Felix Onwuchekwe Nwabuko; Executive Secretary, Bukola Nwaneri; and Public Relations Officer, Sadeeq Kassim, counseled that government should deliberately set up Agricultural Intelligence Centres, AICs, in all the six geopolitical zones of the country to fast-track the attainment of food sufficiency.

"The highly invaluable resource of Agriculture available to us will be better harnessed by deliberately setting up Agricultural Intelligence Centres, AICs, in all the six geopolitical zones to fast track the attainment of food sufficiency in the relevant staples in the zones and then setting up Agribusiness Incubation Networks, AIN, to train or educate Nigerians of the immense potential  of creating mass employment in the agricultural economy far in excess of any other sector in Nigeria", he added.