Obasanjo urges distribution of farm input to check hunger

Presidential panel moves to revive agric in N’East
Amid reports of food shortage in the country, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has appealed to the Federal Government to make available to farmers sufficient quantities of quality fertilisers, seeds and other input during the 2017 planting season.

Obasanjo, who made the appeal on the sidelines of the Zero Hunger meeting yesterday in Abuja, said government must prioritise the provision of farm materials in order to produce enough nutritious food for the teeming population, raw materials for commodity-based industries and increase agro-based export.

“I want to make an urgent appeal for everyone to make a special effort to ensure that our farmers will have sufficient quantities of good fertilisers, seeds and other input available in the time for 2017 planting season”.

He maintained that similar actions could greatly contribute to bailing the country out of recession.

Admitting that the tackling of zero hunger could not be left alone to government, Obasanjo, however, empasised the need for all and sundry to support farmers and producers at all levels while government provides the right policies, regulations and incentives.

Also yesterday, the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative (PCNI) sought the support of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) to revitalise agriculture in that geo-political zone.

The support was sought when members of the sub-committee on economic development paid a courtesy visit to the seed council headquarters in Abuja.

The panel chairman, Yusuf Yakub Buba, urged the council to ensure that farmers in the region were given improved seed free of charge due to lack of money.