Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security, following the country’s decision to remove fuel subsidies.
In a statement released on Thursday, President Tinubu said that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability would be included within the purview of the National Security Council.
The president also said that the government would immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.”We will immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal,” Tinubu said.
“There will be an organic synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the use of water resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is available all year round.”
The President said that the government would partner with states to create ranches in those that are willing to avail lands.
The ranches will have sections dedicated as grazing reserves, he added.” We will establish ranches in collaboration with state government and the federal government will pay for the land,” he said.
President Tinubu said that the government would also activate land banks nationwide, which currently stand at 500,000 hectares mapped “to increase the availability of arable land for farming which will immediately impact food output.”
The Central Bank has advised middlemen withholding grains to release supplies at their disposal as prices are likely to fall when the FG begins to distribute grains.
The declaration of a state of emergency on food security is a significant move by the Nigerian government, as it signals the seriousness with which the government is taking the issue of food security.
The move is also likely to be welcomed by farmers and households, who have been struggling with the rising cost of food in recent months. It remains to be seen how effective the government’s measures will be in addressing the issue of food security in Nigeria. However, the declaration of a state of emergency is a clear indication that the government is committed to finding a solution.
