Food Security
Africa must boost food production to avoid crisis – President Jonathan
Jul 14, 2010, 17:07
| | President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has said that African leaders must act urgently to boost agricultural production to avoid a worsening of the food crisis already being experienced in some countries.
Speaking at an audience with the Director-General of the Food And Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Dr. Jacques Diouf in the State House Abuja on Wednesday July 14, President Jonathan said that African governments clearly needed to evolve and implement more measures to address the problems hindering increased food production such as water scarcity and an aging farming population.
“Africa really needs to do more. We must encourage commercial farming. The problem of young people not wanting to farm is compounded by an aging farming population and must also be addressed. We must start now to plan and take action to confront these and other challenges in the area of food production,” the President said.
He assured Dr. Diouf that the Federal Government will continue to support and cooperate with the FAO in its efforts to ensure food security in Africa and other parts of the world, saying that the organization’s efforts under Dr. Diouf’s leadership were already having a beneficial impact on Africa.
Dr. Diouf told the President that Nigeria was making good progress in the area of food production, but could still do more to not only ensure its own food security, but also contribute to other less endowed African countries.
He expressed hope that under President Jonathan’s leadership, Nigeria will commit more funds to boosting agricultural production and move much more rapidly towards doubling its current levels of food production.
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