By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Cadre Harmonize on Thursday in Ilorin disclosed that Kwara is among states in Nigeria that are under pressure on food security.
The Cadre Harmonisé is a unifying tool that helps to produce relevant, consensual, rigorous, and transparent analyses of current and projected food and nutrition situations.
Mr Olusoji Oyawoye, the Kwara Coordinator of Cadre Harmonize stated this at the March 2024 Analyses Result Presentation on Food Security.
He explained that foods are very expensive and increasingly becoming out of reach of the very poor in Kwara.
According to him, half of the population in the state are currently under stress, as it is difficult to get food, but people are still managing to eat somehow.
“People are having minimal food consumption, they sell thier assets so as to get foods. Despite the bumper harvest of rice in Kwara North, everything is exported out of the state to other state such as Lagos.
“Key drivers of these problem are the hike in fuel prices, and massive purchase of foodcrops from the state by other states,” he said.
The Cadre Harmonize coordinator observed that more farmers are increasingly diversifying from foodcrops to cashcrops.
He pointed out that some are leaving foodcrops auch as yams for cashcrops such as soyabeans.
According to him, there is need to step up dry season farming, while observing that more is needed to be done in area of peace and dialogue between farmers and herders.
“The Kwara Government need to create market and mop up most of the farm produce from farmers. This will ensure that the food stays in the state and people get access to it at subsidize rate from the government,” he said.
He called for the need to balance food crops production and cash crops, so that one does not suffer for the other.
Oyawoye warned that lack of food is the beginning of insecurity, adding that everything revolves around food security in the country.
Speaking also, Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu, the Senior Special Adviser to Gov. AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq of Kwara pointed out that the state is still relatively peaceful when compared to other states that are facing endemic insecurity.
He noted that though there have been records of some disturbances in some local government, but the security operatives were able to curb them down.
“The state governor has lots of passion for the Agricultural sector by creating enabling environment for farmers in the state.
“A committee was created comprising of community leaders, herders and farmers to ensure issues or confrontations are neutralised.
“Over 300 vigilantes and hunters are in government payroll to ensure they are part of the security network in the state. The government is working assiduously to ensure peace prevails in the state,” he said.
Hajia Afusat Ibrahim, the Permanent Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Environment lamented on the devastating effects of climate change on the environment which have adverse effect of farming.
She warned against felling of trees, and burning them for charcoals, while enjoining people to increase tree planting.
Ibrahim disclosed that state government is embarking on land resuscitation and all stakeholders must support it.
In his presentation, Dr Habib Lawal, the Kwara Coordinator of Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, assert that food security comes first, while every other intervention is secondary.
“When people have access to nutritional food, it will serve as protection against malnutrition,” he said.
Lawal warned that children who are stunted will never achieve thier potential in life, adding that the future is shaky with these kinds of future population.
Mr Ishiaq Olorukoba, the Permanent Secretary of the Kwara Ministry of Agriculture, and Rural Development pointed out that all hands must be on deck to ensure food security in the state.
He warned that everyone is not safe, adding that a time is come when people will be burgling houses to get staple foods for survival.
