Federal Government on Tuesday described agriculture as the backbone of any given society and charged various state governments to get it embraced, to confront economic problems being experienced in their respective States.
Permanent secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Nebeolisa Anako made the charge while speaking at the 22nd edition of the Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning Meetings in Osogbo.
He argued that, with embracement of agriculture, there would be great reduction in the spate of poverty that has been caused by the battered economy in the country.
He affirmed: “Let me use this opportunity to urge all the Representatives of the 36 States here to encourage their respective Governors and stakeholders to pay more attention to the development of the agricultural value-chain for improved bio-economy”.
The permanent secretary further encouraged them “to pay more attention to the Food Systems transformation Pathways for improved Nutrition as panaceas to reducing unemployment, and stunted growth, particularly in the Rural and Under-Served Areas of the nation, in line with the declaration of State of emergency in the sector, by this Administration.”
While maintaining that, agriculture would focus on addressing hardship among the populace due to several economic reforms of the present administration, re-echoed it to the state governments not to deviate from agricultural value chain to drive the country’s economic development and tackle poverty among the populace.
“Focusing on the Agricultural value chain could improve the bio-economy while enhancing nutritional value could be achieved through a focus on the food transformation pathway thereby tackling stunted growth among rural dwellers.
“Focusing on food system transformation could fight malnutrition and enhance employment opportunities for youths.
“We must strengthen the collaboration and synergy between the Federal Government, the State Government, and Local Governments towards effective implementation of all the resolutions/decisions of the Joint Planning Board/National Council on Development Planning (JPB/NCDP) as a way to fastrack national developmental objectives”.
In her submission at the programme, the Director of Special Duties in the Ministry, Gloria Ahmed, expressed that, participants would be able to have more insight into how to tackle economic situations for visible development at the National and Sub-national levels.
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