The Sorghum Farmers Association of Nigeria (SOFAN), has commended President Bola Tinubu for declaring state of emergency on food security.
The President of the association, Alhaji Lawal Gada, made the commendation while addressing newsmen in Abuja.
Read Also: Foundation engages children, plant 300 trees in Kano zoo garden
He said the action of the president could not have come at a better time than now when the world is facing myriad of challenges militating the food supply chains in the world, Nigeria inclusive.
According to him, the declaration would greatly make Nigeria more self-reliant in food production, hence be made more food secure.
The president also sadly recalled how the global food supply chains were affected by the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
“The world’s global food supply chain is currently being disrupted by the ongoing Ukraine/Russian war, especially wheat and fertilizer. The border closure by the last administration also took a negative toll on the food supply chain in the country.
“The declaration of the state of emergency on food security will therefore insulate Nigeria from such obnoxious effects and several related ones. It will also encourage more Nigerians to invest more funds in agricultural and agro-industrial activities in the country,” he explained.
Similarly, Gada stated that the declaration would create more direct and indirect jobs in the country.
He said that it would also shore up the nation’s economy and result in the spike of its external reserves.
The SOFAN national president further happily noted that Nigeria was now self-sufficient in sorghum production.
“We are also currently exporting sorghum to Niger republic and other West African countries.
“Sorghum is a very resilient crop that easily adapts to climate change and it’s multitude of negative effects including food production.
“Another comparative advantage of sorghum is that it is being produced in almost all parts of the country. Sorghum is not only a food crop, it is now an industrial and cash crop as well.”
He, therefore, averred that the commodity direly needed more support from the Federal Government.