Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
Kwara State Governor and Chairman Nigeria’s Governors Forum, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continue to invest in agriculture and partner relevant stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the problem of food insecurity.
AbdulRazaq, stated this in Ilorin at the 4th Kwara Food Summit – one of the flagship activities put together to commemorate the 2023 World Food Day.
He said one of the key mandates of his government was to support food production for the masses, and ensure that extreme hunger and starvation were curtailed to the barest minimum.
According to him, “I am delighted to join you as we mark World Food Day ‘23 to create awareness on food security, food safety and zero hunger.
“This day is more than just about food; it is also about the people and communities that rely on it for their survival. It is also about the shared responsibility we all have to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious and affordable food.”
The Summit was jointly organised by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Kwara Agriculture Network, with the sub-theme: “Harnessing Agricultural Potential in Kwara state; Roles of Agricultural Financing and Technical Advisory services.”
The programme featured paper presentations and panellists, drawn from various institutions of government and private businesses.
AbdulRazaq, expressed concern that despite the importance of food to mankind there were millions of people around the World facing chronic hunger.
He said, “all hands must be on the deck to address the hunger crisis.
“At our level in Kwara State, we have made some significant strides in recent years, but there is still much work to be done.
“We shall continue to invest in agricultural development; we will also continue to partner with other governments and organisations to find lasting solutions to the problem of food insecurity.”
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi, the Governor said the sub-theme aligned with the administration’s effort on the need to foster collaborations to improve access to finance as well as extension and technical advisory services especially for small and medium scale enterprises across the agricultural value chains as contained in its 10 years Agricultural Transformation Plan.
He said the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, had been rolling out series of initiatives and programmes to ensure that the local farmers get the needed support to improve their productivity.
“Finally, let us celebrate the progress we have made in the fight against food insecurity and rededicate ourselves to the goal of a world free of hunger,” he added.
The Governor commended the partnership of Kwara Agriculture Network (KAN) under the headship of Al-Mustapha Ibrahim.
Also speaking at the event, State’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the governor had approved the creation of Kwara Agriculture Help Desk that would be located at the Ministry to further assist farmers, processors and investors in finding solutions to challenges bordering on finances and technical advisory support for them to start and scale up their agro-businesses.
“The desk office is also designed to guide our indigenous farmers on the right farm inputs, chemical and other technical services to enhance their productivity, which will ultimately lead to increase in food production and security,” the Commissioner said.
