World Food Day: Buhari Restates Commitment to Food Security

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated the commitment of his administration to ensure self-sufficiency in food production and stability in prices of commodities in the country.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement issued yesterday said the President gave the assurance at the launch of Outgrow Hunger, Nigeria, an initiative of a nongovernmental organisation, Agricultural Agenda Nigeria Initiative (AANI), founded by Mr. Ephraim Odemwingie.

The campaign was launched on World Food Day, observed on October 16 every year, and this year also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), with the theme: ‘‘Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. Our Actions Are Our Future’.

The President who welcomed the campaign by AANI, declared that the objectives and strategies of Outgrow Hunger, Nigeria complement government’s policies, programmes and efforts on food security.

He said, ‘’We are all familiar with the many factors that have constrained efforts to ensure selfsufficiency in food production in the country, leading to the present situation of fluctuating prices of foodstuffs.

‘’Despite the best efforts that have been made, the challenges persist. But so have we, as a government, persisted in finding solutions, guided by the strong belief that, with the natural and human resources our country is endowed with, starvation is inexcusable,’’ he said.

In rising to the challenges, the President affirmed that his administration believed in the efficacy of shared responsibilities because the issue of food security affects everyone.