An agriculturist, Mr Abdullahi Bello, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give more priority to agriculture to ensure the eradication of poverty and hunger in the country.
TBI Africa quoted Bello, the Managing Director, A&D Integrated Farm, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
NAN reports that World Hunger Day is to celebrate sustainable solution to end poverty and hunger with the theme: “Everyone Deserves to Eat’’.
He said that federal, states and local governments had to put more into agriculture for local consumption and exportation.
“We know that this administration has been supporting the sector from the beginning of the tenure and we are happy that they are continuing, which will make them build more on what they have done.
“They should also look out for where there is loophole so that they can make necessary adjustments where needed.
“We are all hungry in this country because many things they have been saying about agriculture have not been done.
“We need to be self-sufficient by feeding ourselves comfortably and export for foreign exchange’’ he said.
Bello said that some commodities were giving more priority than others because of the political and personal interest of some people.
He said that all the commodities should be given the needed priorities because they have different economic advantages when fully researched and financed.
“The smallholder farmers that produce more 70 per cent of what we consume in this country need to be supported as well.
“They need support in terms of land, inputs, fertilisers, assess to loan and capacity building to make them perform and remain in the sector.
“If these people have full support of government and benefit from all anchor borrower programmes, I bet you, they will produce what will transform this country for good.
“We urged Buhari and his cabinet to put more in the sector for the betterment of the farmers, of course this will boost the country’s economy,’’ he said.
World Hunger Day was launched by The Hunger Project in 2011.
It is aimed to inspire people all over the world to show their solidarity and support for the women, men and children that are ending their own hunger and poverty.
