FG reiterates commitment to food security, job creation

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The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling food shortages and unemployment in the country through agriculture and livestock development.

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The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, stated this at the second International Conference of the Agrifood Systems Stakeholders Forum at the University of Port Harcourt on Monday.

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The forum, organised by the Agricultural Policy Research Network, focused on solutions to food insecurity, poverty and youth unemployment in the country.

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Represented by the Director of Ruminant and Monogastric Development, Victor Egbon, Maiha commended APRNet for organising the conference.

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He called for continued collaboration among stakeholders to advance agriculture and urged relevant stakeholders to support the Federal Government’s coordinated national livestock development agenda.

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According to him, the initiative would boost agricultural productivity, create jobs and restore citizens’ confidence in the sector.

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Maiha acknowledged the challenges limiting the growth of the sector, saying the Federal Government was addressing them through improved access to skills, finance, infrastructure and markets.

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“Our agrifood systems are under growing pressure from climate variability, flooding, drought, land degradation and rising input costs,” he said.

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He identified animal diseases, post-harvest losses, weak market linkages and limited access to finance as other challenges affecting producers and consumers.

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“Within these challenges lies a compelling opportunity to build agrifood systems that are more productive, inclusive and climate-resilient, while creating decent jobs for women and young people,” he said.

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The minister said the livestock value chain offered huge opportunities across various businesses, including feed production, hatcheries and dairy collection.

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He added that animal health services, storage, processing, logistics and waste-to-wealth enterprises remained viable investment opportunities that were yet to be fully harnessed.

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Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Princewill Chike, described agriculture as a major solution to brain drain and youth migration.

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Chike said migration had continued to accelerate brain drain, thereby slowing economic growth across Africa.

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“The government and policymakers must make agriculture more attractive to youths to address the ‘Japa’ syndrome,” he said.

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The vice-chancellor commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for prioritising agriculture and called for sustainability in agricultural policies.

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Also speaking, the President and Conference Coordinator of APRNet, Prof. Anthony Onoja, thanked partners for their collaboration in organising the conference.

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Onoja, a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management at UNIPORT, called for stronger collaboration to tackle food insecurity and youth unemployment.

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He said the conference was designed to combine academic knowledge with policy-based solutions to address hunger and poverty.

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“This meeting is expected to provide sustainable solutions to low farm productivity, build resilience against rising climate issues and address conflict in the country,” Onoja said.

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The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conference was supported by the Federal Government, the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, among others.

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