Against the backdrop of over dependence on food imports, the vice president, Kashim Shettima, has charged Governors across the 36 states of the federation to devise ways around revamping the nation’s agricultural sector for the attainment of food security and self-sufficiency.
Shettima gave this charge on Thursday 23, during the monthly meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held at the State House, Abuja.
According to him, this would present a significant window for the nation to leverage on its robust agricultural heritage, while at the same time creating wealth and boosting investments in line with the commitment of the African Development Bank (AfDB) towards establishing Specialised Agro Processing Zone (SAPZ) across the country.
Shettima tasked governors to cash in on the agrarian nature of the economy. He charged them to strive for deliberate value addition in the agricultural sector, moving away from commodity exports towards job creation.
“Collaboration is vital in enabling the Specialized Agro Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
The vice president emphasized the need for governors to develop the nation’s agricultural sector towards self- sufficiency and exporting processed agricultural products in line with the African Union’s Africa 2063 Agenda, while underscoring its alignment with AfDB’s investment and commitment to establishing the SAPZ. He thus reiterated the need to engage the private sector to help drive the agric sector because doing it alone will be a daunting task.
“Once again, we find ourselves bearing the weight of the nation. Since our last gathering, much has transpired, with each event punctuated by the nation’s reactions. None of us here requires a reminder of the direction we are headed or what is required to ensure that we stand together through the storm to fulfill our promises to the people. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you back, back to the 137th meeting of the National Economic Council, our engine room,” he said.
