NGO advises FG to discourage food importation

Journalism Communication and Media Centre, an NGO, has called for increase in allocation to agriculture and more investments in infrastructure so as to discourage food importation.

Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Obinna Chukwuezie, told newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, that this would boost local production and reduce importation of food.

Chukwuezie added that such steps were integral in ensuring food sufficiency and security in the country.

It would be recalled that the Chairman, Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Dr Doyin Salami, disclosed that Nigeria spent N1.85 trillion to import during the closure of international land borders.

Salami spoke during the National Economic Outlook for 2021 organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Chukwuezie said that effective storage system would prevent post-harvest losses saying this was required in helping the country out of food importation.

“The fact that Nigeria still imports food in such magnitude amounting to N1.85 trillion in nine months is of concern and shouldn’t have gotten to this point,’’ he said.

On increased investments in agricultural infrastructure, Chukwuezie said that countries where import was minimal had a lot of investments in agricultural infrastructure and he urged Nigeria to do the same.

The Executive Director, who blamed the country’s post-harvest losses on poor storage facilities called for more government involvement in storage.

Chukwuezie also called for more private sector investments in value addition to reduce post-harvest losses in the country.