Don suggests measures to mitigate food security challenges

The Vice Chancellor, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Professor Shehu Alhaji Musa, yesterday, canvassed a renewed structural national action plan on agriculture to mitigate the post-COVID-19 pandemic impact on the nation’s food security and growth.

Addressing journalists on the likely impacts of the pandemic on the sector, Shehu explained that the government and concern stakeholders have the responsibility to strengthen capacity of farmers to feed the nation sufficiently.

Professor Shehu expressed optimism the nation could still recover from the lost session and sufficiently feed itself if necessary mechanisms are put in place.

He advocated supply of agricultural inputs and technology to farmers to increase production, tasking appropriate authorities to use the advantage of the onset of rainfall to resuscitate and adopt irrigation farming to diversify production.

“At this critical time in the existence of Nigeria, we must understand and appreciate the impact of border closure ordered by Federal Government. It is better imagine what could have happened if the country is still depending on food importation when the global economy is at the lower help. Many developed countries now shut their borders to avoid the spread of COVID-19. That could have been double tragedy for Nigeria.

“But, we just have to double the capacity of our farmers to produce more as the nation gradually battles the reality of post-COVID-19. We need to increase the level of extension service workers to educate farmers. We need to build linkages between research institutes and farmer groups to multiply production level,” he said.