The Confluence Business Forum (CBF) has expressed concern that the price of rice is exorbitant about the same prices with foreign ones, following an increase in the price of fuel.
In commemoration of the World Food Day, the Forum through the Programme Officer Vivian Isaiah urges the federal government to address the hike in price if the nation must feed her estimated 200 million citizens.
She said there is need to make food production in Nigeria a top priority of government at all levels. Farmers must be encouraged by providing fertilizer, farm implement, and funds to purchase seedlings etc.
She called on the federal government to purchase excess farm produce to avoid waste and store them to sell to the public as needs arise.
She also said government should also ban importation of all grains that are produced locally including rice, beans, maize and flour, saying it will encourage local production of these essential grains.
According to her, the current ban on importation of rice is a step in the right direction.
“The Confluence Business Forum (CBF) felicitates with farmers and food workers on the occasion of 2020 World Food Day with the theme, “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. Our actions are our future.”
“It is an international day celebrated every 16th October in honour of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945 and was designated as World Food Day in 1979.
“The Day is set aside to promote global awareness and action of those who suffer hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all.
“We salute the great Nigerian farmers and workers who make sure we have food on our tables despite the global COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and flood that adversely affected food production this year.
“Although the world has made significant progress in improving agricultural productivity particularly in advanced countries, the need for global food security cannot be overemphasized.
She said that in a developing countries like Nigeria hunger, environmental degradation, loss of agro-biological diversity, food loss and waste, flood, bandits, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen-farmers clashes, lack of fertilizer and tractors, and funds grossly affect agricultural productivity.
“It is obvious that healthy citizens are the greatest assets any nation can have. Food security therefore involves everybody.
“Nigeria has had several agriculture programmes including Operation Feed the Nation of General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government and Green Revolution of President Shehu Shagari’s administration,” she said .
She further assured that the Confluence Business Forum will be launching a Green Revolution program in 17 states including Kogi, Benue, Niger, Edo ,Kaduna, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Cross River, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Zamfara, Anambra, Taraba, Enugu, Ebonyi and FCT.
