By Bukola Adewumi
Mr Sam Onuigbo, member, Governing Board, North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commended President Bola Tinubu for renaming the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to Agriculture and Food Security.
Onuigbo who is the Chairman, Security, Special Interventions, and Climate Change of NEDC, gave the commendation at the maiden conference on accelerating agricultural adaptation in Africa, on Monday in Abuja.
He said that the focus would be to ensure food security in the country with and a robust economy.
Onuigbo said he fully supported initiatives that would pave the way for a sustainable and resilient agricultural sector.
He recalled that Tinubu had during his inaugural address, declared that “Agricultural hubs will be created throughout the nation to increase production and engage in value-added processing.’
He said Africa’s youth population is growing rapidly, adding that transformation in agriculture is essential to create economic opportunities.
According to him, it is crucial to involve youth and women in sustainable Agriculture practices to ensure food security, poverty reduction and economic growth.
Onuigbo said that Nigeria had taken a significant step forward with its Climate Change Act 2021.
He added that the act now serves as a beacon of hope in addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change in the agricultural sector.
This, according to him is by promoting nature-based solutions, conservation, and sustainable management of forests.
He said that Nigeria is leading the way towards a more climate-resilient future for agriculture.
He further said that gender-sensitive approaches are needed to address climate change’s differential impacts on women and men.
He said the importance of these critical segments informed their inclusion as members of the National Council on Climate Change chaired by the President himself. (NAN)
