President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security, approving that all matters concerning food and water availability and affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.
This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, while briefing State House correspondents after consultations with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to Alake, the President has directed an immediate release of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.
“We will immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.
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“There will be an organic synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the use of water resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is available all year round.
“As a country, Mr President has made it clear that we are no longer comfortable with seasonal farming. We can no longer afford to have farming downtime”, Alake said.
The President’s spokesman further explained that the Federal Government will partner with states to create ranches in those that are willing to avail lands, adding that the ranches will have sections dedicated as grazing reserves.
Speaking further, Alake said, “We will establish ranches in collaboration with state governments and the federal government will pay for the land.”
He said the federal government will activate land banks nationwide, which currently stand at 500,000 hectares mapped “to increase the availability of arable land for farming which will immediately impact food output.”
Alake, who was accompanied to the press briefing by the Special to the President on Revenue, Zacch Adedeji, Special Adviser on Industry, Trade and Investment, John Uwajimogu and the acting Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Wale Adeniyi among others, explained that the briefing was to update the public on President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s immediate response to the current food inflation in the country.