The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to investigate funds appropriated to the agricultural sector with a view to ascertain the level of food security in Nigeria.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon Dennis Idahosa, who observed that despite hundreds of billions of naira appropriated to Agriculture over the years, the outputs in relations to production and food security are not commensurate with the amount spent.
He observed that the Agricultural sector has witnessed policy changes since Vision 20:2020 (NV: 20:2020) was launched in 2009 and in August 2016, the Agriculture Promotion Policy known as Green Alternative was again launched and has reshaped the direction of agricultural development in Nigeria.
“The House also notes that as the Nation experiences different phases of strategic plans, there has been no systematic framework of reviewing the performance of the sector vis-a-vis food security and global competitiveness as required under the Economic Communities of West African States Agriculture Policy (ECOWAP) which Nigeria is a signatory and a major player.
“The House is aware that the Agricultural Sector is the fulcrum for food and nutrition security, rapid industrialisation, employment generation, sustained economic growth, and poverty reduction which has become imperative as the prospect for reliance on crude oil reduces globally.
“The House also aware that Nigeria, with a population of close to 200 million and a further projection of over 350 million in 2050, the need for food security is imperative, given that the world food summit in 1996 agreed that food security exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
“The House is concerned that despite hundreds of billions of naira appropriated to Agriculture over the years, the outputs in relations to production and food security is not commensurate with the amount spent and therefore the need to verify the current state of small, medium and large scale farming is necessary for the food stability and security of Nigeria’s soaring population.
“The House recalls that in the 1960s, Agriculture accounted for 65–70 per cent of total exports but fell to about 40% in the 1970s, and crashed to less than 2% in the late 1990s,” Hon Idahosa noted.
To this end, the House mandated the joint Committees on Agricultural Production and Services and Finance to interface with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Nigeria Farmers Association and other relevant stakeholders to ascertain the level of food security in Nigeria and report back within eight weeks for further legislative action.
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