Agriculturist seeks better policies to ensure food security

An agriculturist, Dr Fadlullah Issa, on Monday called for better policies and programmes that would enhance food security.

Issa, a Fellow of National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, made the call in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos.

Issa described food security as access to good foods that are sufficient, safe and nutritious, to maintain human health, especially during natural disasters or emergencies.

“Any country that cannot provide sufficient, safe and nutritious food, especially at these times, is declared as being food insecure,” he said.

Issa called for more effective implementation of existing agriculture policies, adding that more policies that would improve productivity in the sector should be introduced.

“Our policies are not geared toward allowing farmers have unhindered access to funds for production, and it is really disturbing,” he said.

According to his, inflation rate has resulted in high cost of food prices and consequently food insecurity.

“Reports from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that our inflation rate is as high as 18 per cent.”

Issa also called for improved budgetary allocation to agriculture sector for achievement of food security.

The expert urged that budgetary allocations to the sector should impact farmers much.

“The problem of unintended beneficiaries, which is actually linked to politics, is grossly affecting the agriculture sector, and this has to change.

“When you allocate money that is meant for a farmer to a non-farmer, it does not count on our level of productivity in the agriculture sector,” Issa said.

He also urged governments to do more to tackle insecurity as a strategy to ensure food security.

“Cattle rustling and kidnapping have prevented a lot of farmers from gaining access to their farms,” he said.