From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Commissioners for Agriculture, Permanent Secretaries and some key heads of government agencies across the country have dialogued on how to shore up food production through the updated draft of Agricultural Extension Service Delivery Revitalisation Bill.
The stakeholders at a conference organised by the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN-ICON2) Project, in Abuja, noted that the initiative would lead to economic growth and livelihood.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Cross River State,Johnson Ebokpo, said the country has about 70 % of farmers that cannot meet up 50% of food demand in the country.
While noting that the problem of agriculture rest on with extension service, he said the effect of not having a clear legal framework around the extension service delivery was negatively affecting food security.
He said: ”Extension bridges the gap between research and the farmers, so if extension is not properly taken care of in terms of funding and other forms of resources required to drive extension in Nigeria we will continue to face food insecurity challenges.”
Ebokpo, who noted the need for the country to have the policy, said Cross Rivers State has developed robust programmes to fill the gaps of extension.
Also, the Commissioner for Agriculture in Kebbi State, Maigari Dakingari, pledged the support of the state government to domesticate the bill and ensure its speedy passage.
Dakingari said there was need to improve funding for agriculture to allow private extension services to play and contribute to the agricultural sector and boost food sufficiency.
The Executive Director of WOFAN, Hajia Salamatu Garba, said a lot of research works had been done but yet to be translated into action.
Garba said the reason for involving stakeholders was for them to claim ownership of the bill and that was the reason commissioners for agriculture were invited to give suggestions.
“We need all the inputs we can get from various stakeholders to make a successful bill so as not to be turned down.
“We have reached a stage where we look at the agricultural policy and have it translated it into a bill which we are hoping to pass to the National Assembly,” Garba added.