From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Aliyu Shinkafi, has said the current food crisis and poverty in Nigeria, could only be addressed through collaboration.
Shinkafi made this known at the 30th regular meeting of the National Council of Water Resources and sanitation in Abuja.
He insisted that proper synergy between sister agencies and stakeholders in the sector would ensure irrigation of farm land, which would guarantee adequate food supply all year round.
“Achieving the sustainable development goals 1,2,6, which encompasses poverty in all its forms everywhere, end hunger and achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, as well as ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030, can only be overcome if we work as a team,” the permanent secretary said.
Shinkafi said the focus should be geared towards water governance and its roles towards the promotion of food security in the country.
“Our planet is facing a most daunting challenge of insufficient food and water, which are all threats to human survival and its sustainable development, and the risk that our planet will experience global food and water crises between now and 2050 is very high.”
In his paper presentation, the keynote speaker, Inuah Musa, who stated that poor water governance is responsible for hike in prices of food stuffs in the country, added that good water sanitation governance would not be possible without water bill.
On his part, the Senior Water Resources Manager for World Bank in Africa, Emmanuel Chinedu, pledged continuous support towards food security in Nigeria through irrigation drainage development.