World Food Day : Gov Otti tasks Abians to embrace Agriculture to secure food security amidst hunger in the land.

WORLD FOOD DAY: Gov Otti tasks Abians to embrace Agriculture to secure food security amidst hunger in the land.

By: Sam Obinna Ibe
Umuahia.

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has tasked Abians to embrace Agriculture in order to secure good food and food security and thus end hunger in the land.

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti gave this task during the 2024 edition of World Food Day celebration held at International Conference Centre ICC , Ogurube lay out, Umuahia.

Governor Otti represented by the Secretary to the State Government,SSG, Professor Kenneth Kalu further tasked stakeholders in the Agricultural sector to support government programmes and policies to fight hunger and end food insecurity in Abia state.

Otti who reminded citizens of the importance of food for humanity and the need to go back to farm to ensure food sustainability and availability.

Governor Otti described the theme of the 2024 event “The Right To Food For a better life and a better Future”, as being apt especially as the global community is faced with the problem of hunger and inability to secure food for tomorrow.

He however assured that the State government is willing to partner the people especially , farmers who have good initiative to enhance the agricultural sector in the State.

The governor said the renewed engagement is to enhance food security and support the development of agriculture sector in the State, ” It has gotten to a level where we use food security as source of revenue to government, as we are all gathered here, let us not see this gathering as usual, but, see it as our renewed re-engagement in agriculture.

In his address, the State Commissioner for Agriculture Dr Cliff Agbaeze said that the world food day serves as a call for action for policy makers and stakeholders to collaborate in order to achieve the objective of the founding fathers and Food and Agricultural Organisatiion, (FAO).

Dr Agbaeze said that the present administration has implemented various programmes to ameriotate the huge burden in farmers, adding that Governor Otti has approved fund disbursement to 298 trainers who under went Agricultural Values and Farm Techniques at the CSS Farms in Nassarawa State.

Earlier, in his keynote address, , titled, “Right Food for A Better Life and a Better future”a Professor of Agricbussiness Manager and Agricultural Marketing and Dean,College if Agriculture Ecobusiness , Rural Sociology and Extension, Micheal Okpara University if Agriculture, Umudike, Professor Nnanna Mba Agwu, said food security would have been achieved when all people at all time give physical and nutritious food that meets thier dietry needs and food preference for an active and healthy life.

He disclosed that for any Country to attain sufficiency in food security the government must increase food production by improving access to technology and training for farmers and financially incentives to increase production.

“Sustain food systems can help reduce the impact of climate change in food production while ensuring equitable access to nutritious food which includes promoting agroforestry, regenerative farming and sustainable land use practice “.

He said embracing value addition generally focuses on production or manufacturing processes, marketing ir services that increase the value of primary agricultural produce, “This will turn the gkut that should away unti another form. Value addition produces a new recipe that dies not exist to fulfill the demands of consumers and ti increase profit”.

He further identified Micro farming which involves cultivating a small plot of land when compared to many large commercial farms,, micro farms typically range from a fraction of an acre or a few acres, which can be practiced in both rural and urban setting, making it accessable to individual looking to grow thier own food, it start as a small scale agricultural business even as small containers could also be employed in various homes.

According to the university don, Road infrastructure development is another step to ensure food d security, ” I am aware that many rural communities do not have access to roads to move thier produce to markets. This have not only denied the populace the needed food but also when available are purchased at high prices”.

Highlights of the event was exhibition of farm produce by various Farmer groups and other agricultural processors at the venue of the event.

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