Raysida proposes law for agro-militia, food security

A Professor of Agricultural Seed Science and Technology, Dr Ozonwa Kamalu-Ejiogu, has posited that to achieve sustainable, effective, and efficient food production and productivity through rural community farm watch, the National Assembly should enact a law to create a National Land Grant Agro-militia and Food Soldiers.

Kamalu-Ejiogu, who is the Charter President/CEO & Commander-General (Agriculture Field Marshal), Rural Agromilitia Youths and Seed Industry Development Association (Raysida), spoke at the weekend in Umuahia, Abia State.

He spoke at the screening, accreditation, and capturing of the Raysida State Commanders and their Exco members organised by RAYSIDA International Initiative (RII), in the South East Regional Command.

He said Raysida had presented a draft bill in this regard to the National Assembly for passage into law, adding that Agribraz International Business Network of Brazil is RAYSIDA’s development partners.

Speaking in a lecture, titled: “General Food Security and Safety Control in the Field for Effective, and Efficient Food Production and Productivity Through Community Watch,” he said Raysida is “properly registered as the Rural Mobilisation of the Food Security Educators, Rural/Village Extension CHANGE Agents and Officers.

He said the agency is working in collaboration with the 774 local government areas, and the 108 senatorial zones in Nigeria as well as the General Security Vanguard’s for all Government Security Agencies.

Kamalu-Ejiogu charged the accredited State Raysida Commanders and their Excos to return to their states after their screening, to implement the set objectives.

These include protecting farmers and Crops from criminals and cattle Herdsmen, and also stressed the need to introduce the partnership and development initiative between RII and CBN/NIRSAL Anchor Borrowers Programme, describing it as very critical.

One of the participants, Mr Udo Mba Agoha, explained that the food Soldiers of Nigeria, among others, assist government in addressing the problems of Herdsmen, livestock movement and related matters, and decried the current carrying of arms by Herdsmen to kill people and destroy farmlands and crops unlike in the past.