FG Dismisses Looming Hunger Fears amidst flooding

Mohammed Abubakar, The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has dismissed fears that Nigeria would be hard hit with food scarcity arising from recent flood disasters in parts of the country.

The government plans by the federal government to cushion the effect of the incidents, noting that “the main concern about food scarcity, in the coming months; we will not allow that to happen. I can guarantee you by the Grace of God because we have measures in place.

“One of the measures is dry season farming, which we have in place and the money, we are working with the Ministry of Finance, we have gotten money from financing agencies, one of them is AFDB, and we will intensify dry season farming.”

He explained that the ministry was already assessing the flood situation on the extent of damages done to farmlands and crops like rice, and maize and the number of farmers affected.

Abubakar revealed the government’s plan to support farmers for increased crop production, adding that the ministry was distributing inputs every year in every geo-political zone, as he pointed out that records of the distribution including farm implements to farmers were available.

“We have an insurance scheme for farmers who are flood victims, for those under insurance coverage, we process and pay them, and for those who don’t we have intervention from the government from time to time.

He said the immediate intervention was that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management was currently distributing grains provided by the agric ministry.

This is as he explained that flood was a natural phenomenon that could not be stopped, noting that it could in some situations be used to benefit agricultural production.

(Independence)