Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) is partnering with United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded programme on Public Private Partnership for Animal Health Services in Nigeria – Propcom – towards increasing productivity and improved nutrition and food security.
Minister of State, FMAFS, Senator Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who spoke in a meeting with a team from Propcom led by Deputy British High Commissioner, Gill Lever, in Abuja revealed that the eight-year-old Propcom also aims to support climate resilient and sustainable agricultural and forestry that benefit people, climate and nature.
According to a statement on Sunday by the Ministry’s Directorate of Information, the programme is also envisaged to transform Nigeria’s rural economy by addressing environmental, social and economic challenges in the nation’s food and land use system and will work through strategic partnership with key market actors and support policies to increase productivity, improve nutrition and food security as well as reduce vulnerability to climate impact.
According to the Minister: “We have a big task to revive the food system, and we are ready to have you as a partner to achieve the high priority placed on food security by Mr. President because agriculture is the key and animal health is very important.”
He noted that we have an animal health support group who are looking into the health of animals and farmers to reduce loss and improve productivity.
Abdullahi revealed that agriculture is no doubt a multi sector and needs more people to work together, “we require more land, partnership, collaboration which is the key to achieve our aim in productivity, nutrition and food Security in Nigeria”, he added.
He said that this move will support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President and assured that the Ministry’s maximum cooperation.
He also urged Propcom to look into pest control, stating that recently, we had a serious attack on ginger, which affected its productivity.
Speaking further, he said that Nutrition is very important to both animal and human, and the office of the Vice President held a summit recently in Abuja with the traditional and religious leaders to see how people would maintain a good balance diet and nutritional feeding.
According to him, “to have a healthy nation, you must have a healthy people”.
Abdullahi added that Mechanization is a sure way to help in productivity if it’s made available, pointing out that “we are in partnership with John Deere and Greener hope in order to achieve the desired aim of Mr. President on food security.
Earlier, in her remarks, the Deputy British High Commissioner, Gill Lever, said that Nigeria has had good relationship with UK for years now and that Propcom was a programme aimed at supporting resilience and sustainable agricultural and forestry that benefit people, climate and nature, provide support to different business modules, scale up access to animals and support new innovations.
Gill, therefore, solicited support from the government to Animal Services, especially in the rural areas.
“We have been working with the Veterinary Department. We have been in rice production in the North. Propcom programme is a very versatile one”, she added.