President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, Paul Ikonne, to procure additional five agricultural spraying aircraft to cover the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The president gave the directive at the official launch of state-of-the-art equipment recently procured by the federal government to help accelerate food production in the country.
Since the 2022 floods that ravaged the country, there have been fears that Nigeria will experience food shortage if no action is taken to avert it. The United Nations food and agriculture organisation (FAO) had in its October food and nutrition analysis Known as the Cadre Harmonisé report, indicated that about 17 million people, in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory are in a food crisis or worse through October 2022 and the number was expected to increase to 25.3 million people between June and August 2023.
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Earlier in the week, the Federal government through the national agricultural land development authority (NALDA) assured Nigerians that there was no cause for alarm as it was working hard to ensure no one goes to bed hungry.
The launch of this state-of-the-art equipment for increased food production is one of the federal government’s interventions.
The Executive Secretary, of NALDA, Paul Ikonne, outlined the agency’s achievements through the two years period of resuscitation.
Other equipment procured are tractors, combined harvesters, pumping machines, surveillance and spraying drones, and cages for poultry and rabbit production, among others.
The agency was also given the directive to keep procuring land preparation equipment until the country acquires enough for food security.
Editor: Ena Agbanoma
