FG’s Plan For Approval Of Duty-Free Food Imports Is depressing-Adesina
LAGOS JULY 15TH (NEWSRANGERS)-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, has raised concerns over the Federal Government’s plan to import food, stating that the policy is depressing.
According to Nairametrics, he stated this during the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa retreat held in Abuja on Saturday where he spoke on the theme, ‘Food Security and Financial Sustainability in Africa.’
Adesina noted that Nigeria cannot rely on food imports to stabilise prices and resorting to it could destroy the country’s agricultural policy.
He explained that the country should be producing food to keep prices stable and reduce pressure on the foreign exchange front whilst creating jobs.
He said: “Nigeria’s recently announced policy to open its borders for massive food imports just to tackle short-term food price hikes is depressing.
“Nigeria cannot rely on the importation of food to stabilise prices. Nigeria should be producing more food to stabilise food prices while creating jobs and reducing foreign exchange spending, which will further help stabilise the naira.
“Nigeria cannot import its way out of food insecurity. Nigeria must not be turned into a food import-dependent nation.”
Furthermore, Dr Adesina noted that Africa constitutes nearly a third of the over 780 million people worldwide who are hungry, emphasising the critical role of agriculture in diversifying economies and transforming rural areas, where more than 70 percent of Africa’s population resides.
“It is clear therefore that unless we transform agriculture, Africa cannot eliminate poverty,” he insisted.
Adesina noted that Africa holds 65 percent of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, which is crucial for feeding an estimated 9.5 billion people by 2050. Therefore, what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world.
“Essentially, food is money. The size of the food and agriculture market in Africa will reach $1 trillion by 2030,” he stated.
It would be recalled that last week, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture announced plans to allow duty-free importation of food items such as maize, rice paddy and wheat for 150 days as part of measures towards stabilising the prices of the items in the market.
The move contradicts the earlier position of the Presidency on food security with President Tinubu stating that Nigeria will not import food but produce what it eats.
However, the move to import food has drawn the ire of farmers in particular. The President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) had earlier stated that food importation would erode the gains made in rice, maize and wheat production while the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) had
also reacted to the policy by stating the Federal Government should encourage rice farmers rather than import.
Food prices in the last year have skyrocketed in Nigeria with food inflation just over 40 percent, pushing millions into poverty and hunger. An estimated 32 million people are expected to face severe hunger and malnutrition this year due to the crisis.
Tribune
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Posted by News Rangers
on Jul 15 2024. Filed under National.
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