The Convener of the Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), Prophet Isa El-Buba, has attributed the hunger and sudden rise in the prices of essential commodities in Nigeria to the insecurity ravaging agrarian communities in the country.
Prophet El-Buba stated in a statement that farming activities have been totally paralyzed in many communities and ancestral farmlands have been forcefully acquired and occupied by the Fulani militias, adding that the federal government needs to provide security for the farmers to enable them to return to their communities to continue with their farming activities.
“Resettlement of farmers displaced by the Fulani militias is imperative so that they can return to their ancestral communities to continue with their farming occupation and to contribute to food security efforts in the country,” Prophet El-Buba advised.
He advised the government to take a cue from China, whom the World Economic Forum reported to have focused on supporting its 250 million smallholder farmers that produce 80 percent of the country’s food by harnessing government and private sector collaboration.
According to him, this is anchored on technology deployment and access to low-interest credit, as well as robustly engaging and partnering with strategic and relevant public, private, and third sectors by the government at all levels for their resources, expertise, and networks to be utilized in transparently implementing hunger alleviation measures such as the distribution of released grains from strategic food reserves as well as genuine commodity market boards to monitor and control these food prices.
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He further advocated for long-term planning and investments as well as training and mentoring youths, women, and rural farmers to engage in mechanized agriculture to take up farming careers, which can boost food production and reduce poverty in the country.
Prophet El-Buba further stated that providing emergency food assistance to persons adversely affected by or at risk of hunger and, of course, direct cash transfers to low-income families in severe need are sustainable solutions that always require collaboration, resources, and long-term commitment from multiple stakeholders.
The clergyman implored the government to invest in building rural road systems that link farms to local markets in real-time, as well as storage and processing facilities to drastically reduce post-harvest rot and waste of agricultural produce before they get to consumers, so farmers won’t have to make up for losses.
To address the present precarious situation, the IBBN convener called on all Nigerians to get back to farming to collectively contribute to the efforts towards sufficient food production and self-sustenance—growing what we eat and eating what we grow.
and then