Food insecurity: Group seeks collaboration to end hunger, poverty among youths
By Olu Benjamin
A Group under the auspices of Activista has sought a robust collaboration with the Nasarawa State Ministry of Agriculture in the area of agricultural support services to end hunger and poverty among youths.
Anna Envoh Nasarawa State Coordinator, Activista, disclosed this in a briefing in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital as part of the hunger-free Nigeria campaign.
According to her, the hunger hunger-free Nigeria campaign is a youth-led initiative being championed by Activista, with support from ActionAid toward ending hunger and poverty in Nasarawa state.
Envoh said that several other civil society organizations like Young Men’s Christian Christian Association (YMCA), Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (S -SUNN), Girls Get Equal, and Advocacy for Women with disability all came out to support and lend their voices to the campaign.
The Activista state Coordinator listed possible areas of collaboration with the Nasarawa Ministry of Agriculture to include: agriculture support services to small-scale farmers, youth youth-friendly agricultural policies.
Other areas are increased investment in agriculture, improved food security, and strengthened relationships with civil society organizations, and youth movements like Activista, to ensure that their voices are heard.
“We commend the efforts of the Nasarawa Government particularly the Ministry of Agriculture toward food security, however, we are seeking more collaboration in the following area to benefit youths and achieve their goals.
“We demand that the ministry provides affordable fertilizer and support small-scale farmers, who are the backbone of our system to increase productivity and income.
“We demand increased investment in agriculture, in the areas of irrigation, mechanization, and extension services, to increase productivity and efficiency of our farmers,” she urged.
Envoh urged the Nasarawa state government to make policies that would support youth participation in agriculture, including access to land, credit, and markets to encourage young people to see farming as a viable career option.
“We demand that the ministry prioritizes initiatives that would improve food security and nutrition, particularly for groups such as women, children, and the elderly to ensure that everyone has access to safe and nutritious food.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Umaru Abdullahi, Represented by Deputy Director, Extension Lydia Kyari, said the ministry was ready to support young people who would want to venture into farming.
The Permeant Secretary noted the state government under the leadership of Gov Abdullahi Sule had placed a premium on agriculture and food security, noting that the government had been supporting farmers with farm inputs.
“What I want to tell you is that you have come to the right place, we can assist you in so many ways,
as far as you are ready for farming, through the supply of farm inputs like fertilizers and seedlings,” he said.
The hunger-free Nigeria campaign featured a road walk from Lafia City Stadium to the Ministry of Agriculture, with placards in various inscriptions such as increase funding for agriculture, everyone should have access to healthy food, let’s build a nation where no one goes to bed hungry, among others. END