Food security: Foreign Affairs Ministry urges more investment in agriculture

Amb. Bolaji Akinremi, Director of Economic, Trade, and Investment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has called for greater investment in mechanised farming and irrigation to enhance food security in Nigeria.

Akinremi stated this in an interview with news men in Abuja, highlighting how post-harvest losses hinder economic growth.

He, therefore, called for increased investment in mechanised farming, noting that it would help address post-harvest losses and strengthen food security in the country.

According to him, irrigation has become essential for ensuring sustainable food security and the preservation of agricultural produce, particularly as the world grapples with the effects of war and natural disasters.

“The Federal Government has so far achieved remarkable success in the agriculture sector through the Renewed Hope Agenda centered on prioritising mechanised farming, to reduce post-harvest losses.

“One of the major challenges that had faced food security in the country is post-harvest losses.

“Due to lack of adequate preservation and technology for food storage, farmers tend to sell farm produce cheap in order not to lose them.

“Also, you cannot control the lifespan of some food crops, so you tend to either allow them to waste or you sell them cheaply.

“It is commendable that such has now reduced, because government built mechanised storage and some mechanisms have also been introduced to enhance food preservation”.

The director further stated that agricultural produce such as yam should be better preserved until the next harvest season to achieve the desired goal.

He reiterated that the government had implemented measures, including partnerships with foreign entities, to encourage the packaging of agricultural produce and improve food security.