From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has convened the 46th National Council on Agricultural and Food Security (NCAFS) meeting to exchange ideas aimed at advancing agricultural development in the country, setting key topics for consideration and discussion.

The meeting, themed “Resilience to Climate Change Towards Sustainable Food Security,” held at the Calabar International Convention Center, attracted participants from across the states to engage in meaningful dialogue, enhance the issues discussed, and provide practical recommendations to help the Council make informed decisions for the agricultural sector’s economic impact. During his opening remarks, Permanent Secretary Temitope Fashedemi highlighted that the agricultural sector remains essential for the nation’s economic recovery, stabilization and growth.He stated, “At this gathering, we must objectively explore the best ways to maintain food security, generate employment, and create wealth. This involves assessing the effectiveness of ongoing initiatives and refining strategies for a significant economic impact.”He stressed the importance of sustaining the commodity value chain, enhancing sector linkages, promoting import substitution initiatives, and fostering value-added processing and export-oriented activities.Fashedemi underlined the need for ongoing collaboration on agribusiness initiatives by providing incentives to researchers, farmers, and processors to boost agricultural output and meet national needs, thereby encouraging greater investment in agriculture and creating jobs.Earlier, Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, emphasized the importance of addressing the pressing global challenge of climate change and forming a collective commitment to develop resilience against its effects.He remarked, “Food security is central to the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and underpins the policies of state governments, particularly the people’s first agenda of our visionary Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu.”As discussions continue on this theme, Ebokpo urged participants to engage in constructive dialogue, share best practices, and work together towards sustainable solutions for food production amid climate change challenges.The event also featured goodwill messages from various stakeholders, including Actionaid, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, among others.