Conflict resolution crucial for food security, poverty alleviation, say experts

Professionals have explained that food insecurity is aggravated by conflicts, crimes, terrorism and religious extremism, especially from the grain and arable crop-producing zones of the country.The solution to food insecurity therefore, they suggested, is finding lasting solutions to conflicts and insecurity of lives so that farmers could go back to farms.

Mr. Bismarck Rewane, a financial expert and other technocrats in agribusiness hailed Rotary International District 9110 for seeking an end to food insecurity.
Mr Rewane, who was the keynote speaker at the World Peace and Understanding Day 2020 seminar organised by the district, stated that Nigeria was experiencing food insecurity due to various factors like conflicts, poverty and high population growth, and he advised the government on steps to end the scourge, which is capable of disturbing world peace.

Addressing the theme, ‘Promoting World Peace and Understanding through Food Security,’ Rewane said to achieve food security, the government had to increase investments in agricultural research, storage improvement and processing facilities for post-harvest management of crops, as well as sensitisation of citizens on healthy diets.

Also, Navy Commodore Daniel Atakpa, who was a participant, urged the government across the federation to pay special attention to the blue economy to improve the economic empowerment and food security.

“The ocean economy, which has been largely ignored for years, can be used to provide energy, transportation, healthcare, end poverty, for economic empowerment and food security,’’ he said.Other industry experts on the occasion such as Dr Biodun Adedipe, Mr Mezuo Nwuneli, Dr Aliyu Samaila, Dr Tunji Funsho and Dr Olumide Phillips highlighted the importance of food security to Nigerians, and emphasised the fact that it was essential to the growth and well-being of the country.

Dr Jide Akeredolu, of the district, said that Rotary decided to embark on proffering solutions to food insecurity to avert the time bomb.The time bomb, he said, could come in the forms of escalating crime rates, extreme poverty, very short life expectancy and massive unemployment, among many other anathemas. ‘‘Over the years, experts and governments have not linked food insecurity to world peace, this is a time bomb that was ticking and I call for the urgent attention in other to stem the tide.