National Daily

Food crisis: Any durable solution in sight?

…As FG, States take bold steps

By FEMI ONAYEMI and ABIOSE ADELAJA

BY its very nature, which has assumed global proportion, the on-going food crisis has sent shivers and shock waves into many homes across the universe.

Considering its subsequent repercussion on the masses and less-privileged, therefore, there is every tendency to assume that the biblical ''end time'' is around the corner.

But going by media reports, the import of the crisis has not spared the super power nations of the world like the United States of America(USA)and the United Kingdom(UK) either, as residents of such countries continents have resorted to ''panic buying'' of one of the essential commodities affected rice- among other stable food items against any eventuality
.Even though the noticeable effects of the global phenomenon is visible from the corresponding increase in prices of foodstuffs and essential commodities in Nigeria, the situation has still not gone beyond redemption.

Which explains why the federal government has decided to spend as much as N80billion on rice importation alone, following the alarming increase in the price of the commodity from only N5,000 per bag last Christmas to an astronomical N12,000 per bag presently.
It is believed that the decision to embark on the mass importation of rice is to make the commodity available at N6,000 per bag.
Another strategy being adopted by the federal government involves the suspension of all import levies and duties on rice for a period of six months.

Already, economic experts are of the opinion that the planned subsidy on food is only a short term remedy, leaving the poser: Whither the long-term solution?

For a very long time, food production in the country has generally been on the decline. About 70per cent of the land in Nigeria is arable, while only about 30per cent is being cultivated.
This apart, the farming population in the country is ageing and not being replaced by young farmers; many of whom have drifted to the cities for jobs that are not readily available.

In its own reaction to the global development, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called on governments and world institutions ''to guarantee food security for all.''
A market survey conducted in Lagos revealed that prices of most essential foodstuffs have gone up by more that 50per cent. While a tuber of yam is now selling for N250 as against N150 previously, a measure of Garri his shot up to N200 from the previous N200.

A similar development is reported in almost all the other 35 states of the federation, as well as Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Our correspondent, Sadiq Abubakar from Maiduguri reports that the Borno State Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, has decided to procure 2,700 metric tones of maize and millet worth over N 100 million. She added that immediately the transportation of the grains from the Gombe Zone Silos of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources is completed, where delivery of all the state governments from the North East Zone is taking place, government will sell the grains at affordable rates to ease the problem of food scarcity.

According to her, the state government has further purchased 200 new tractors to boost farming mechanism of the people towards a bumper harvest and improved food productivity in the state. Similarly, the State Commissioner explained that improved seedlings have been nurtured to be distributed to the farmers under the newly introduced “Operation Back to Farm Programme” the state government has initiated with over 500,000 seedlings on plantation for farmers to improve their occupation towards good yielding. The State Chairman of the Farmers Association of Nigeria, Borno State Branch, Alhaji Bukar Bulin while lamenting on the predicament of food scarcity and hike in prices of food items in the market, he urged the state government as a matter of urgency to hasten the distribution of the grains to relieve the hardship/crisis people are confronted with in terms of food across the country.

Daniel Ior reporting from Makurdi, said the state governor Gabriel Suswam, is seeking collaborative partnership with farmers in the American State of Iowa, and has pegged the price of a bag of fertilizer in the State at N2500 as against N1700 last year.

Specifically, Suswam said he was disturbed over shift of emphasis by farmers from agricultural production to partisan politics. A development he blamed on ignorance as according to him, there is greater wealth in agricultural activity than partisan politics.

He also said his administration has procured fertilizers that would serve the farmers for the next two years and warned against panic buying as there would be no shortages.

He similarly warned that there is no room for politics until when it is six months to election and advised farmers as well as politicians to beware.
Similarly, Steve Uzoechi, reporting from Owerri, said the Imo government has mandated each of the 27 LGA chairmen in the state to cultivate a minimum of five hectares of land with the improved variety of cassava obtained from the College Of Agriculture, Umuagwo. The Imo state commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Longers Anyanwu, told National Daily in a telephone conversation that the Imo state government had since adopted what he called the Strategic Rice Reserve Policy (SRRP) to cushion the effect of food insufficiency in the country.

Anyanwu recalled that over a thousand bags of the Imo rice were distributed from the reserve by government last December to the public. Presently, though, the rice which is produced by the Imo state government is not in the market nor in circulation now in the state. However, the Imo state Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, last week played host to a team of South African farmers who were in the state to discuss issue of partnership with the Imo state government with a view to increasing agricultural productivity in the state. Meanwhile, a University don, Professor Peter Akanwa of the Imo State University, while commending the Federal government for the N80billion intervention fund for the procurement of 500,000 metric tonnes of rice, urged the government to also map out a long term programme that would catalyse an increase in food production in Nigeria. He said, "Nigeria can feed itself".

From Lagos, Andrew Ojiezel reports that the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) has tasked Federal Government to establish farm settlements, as this would go long a long way in offering jobs for the unemployed able men and women that are currently jobless and it would reduce crime rates in the country. Noting that government lacked focus in policies.

The General Secretary of NUFBTE, Comrade Idowu Yussuf, told National Daily in his office that one of the duties of any serious government to its citizenry was provision of food, but unfortunately, the government of the day has done little or nothing to address the cost of food items in the country.

In Enugu, the State government has finalized plans to procure 500-cassava processing machine equipment with power generating sets.