Farmers express readiness to feed Nigeria despite COVID-19 pandemic

• Demand public health situation report from Buhari

Farmers in Nigeria have expressed readiness and capacity to produce enough food for the country despite the socio-economic disruptions caused by the pandemic COVID-19.

In a statement by the national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Kabir Ibrahim, the association stated that “It is frightening to note the enormity of the effect of COVID-19 in Italy at this time. The spread of the pandemic across the globe is equally frightening.

“All Nigerian farmers are poised and fully awake to address the challenge of providing enough food to feed the nearly 200 million mouths in the nation.” 

Apart from feeding the country with nutritious foods, the farmers said they would play the brotherly role of producing foods for other African countries, especially close neighbours to the country.

“We are also not unmindful of the likelihood of playing the ‘big brother’ to all of Africa if the scourge exacerbates. To this effect, I enjoin all of us to take proactive actions to avoid infections from coronavirus.

“The preventative measures continuously advertised by the Centre for Disease Control must be adhered to,” Kabir said. The association urged the government at all levels to make stopping the spread and eradicating the virus their topmost activity until the objective is achieved.

“Every other matter in this country should take a backseat pending the control of the coronavirus pandemic,” the association advised.
AFAN called on the government and all food stakeholders to evaluate the progress made and difficulties associated with the agro-industrial policy tagged the Green Alternative.

“Our food system must be properly reappraised to avoid any inadequacy that could cause disaster.

“The people charged with the responsibility to ensure the well-being of the populace in the areas of health and nutrition should continue with the good work they are doing with encouragement from the president and all Nigerians,” AFAN said.

The farmers called on the president to, as a matter of urgency, “address the nation on all the efforts in place and the state of preparedness in case of escalation of the pandemic virus.”