The Abundance of Hope Initiative (AHI) an NGO, on Saturday, appealed to farmers to take appropriate measures that would guarantee a sustainable food system in the country.
Mr Taiye Sasona, Executive Director of AHI, made the appeal at the organisation’s sensitisation campaign programme at Angwan community in Nasarawa, to celebrate the 2021 World Food Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2021 World Food Day is “Our Actions Are Our Future’’.
According to Sasona, a sustainable food system is critical in delivering food and nutrition security for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental basis to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised.
A food system includes all the aspect of feeding and nourishing people: growing, harvesting, packing, processing, transporting, marketing and consuming food.
It encompasses all the interactions between people and the natural world-land, water, the climate among others.
While urging government at all levels and the private sector to encourage farming, Sasona stressed the need for improved facilities critical in developing the agricultural sector.
He canvassed for increased participation of youths in agriculture, stressing that it would generate income and keep them away from social vices.
According to him, increased participation of youth in agriculture entails moving away from drugs, internet fraud and other vices.
Charlotte Ekejiuba, President, Charlotte Love Foundation, in a keynote address, said that rotating crops, reducing tillage and application of integrated pest control were key in ensuring a sustainable food system.
While encouraging backyard farming and owning livestock farms, Ekejiuba emphasised the need to grow crops according to its season and urged farmers to embrace diversity.
She also stressed the need to minimise soil disturbance and allow crop residue to remain on the ground instead of being thrown away or incorporated into the soil.
Mr Omatsola Lawanson, Co-Executive, Reshaping Lives and Rebuilding Communities Initiative, an NGO, called for reflection on the food systems and the aspects connected to them such as malnutrition, food security, environmental degradation and inefficiencies of food supply chains.
Lawanson said: “we must note that the food we choose and the way we consume it affects our health and that of our earth.
Responding, the Leader, Angwan community, Maiangwa Sani Plana, solicited government support in providing them with essential farm implements that would assist their farming activities.
He said that the campaign had had impressed on the people the importance of eating healthy food and the implications of doing otherwise.
NAN reports that members of the community were trained on fish farming. (NAN)
