The Minister and Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, has advised that African countries must stop begging for food because they have the knowledge, the technology and the means to end hunger and food insecurity.
“A number of African countries, including Malawi, have shown that this can be achieved rather quickly. What have been missing are political will and dedicated action,” said Usman
He stated this in his opening remarks as chairman of the occasion for launching of the Africa Human Development Report 2012, which was organised by the UNDP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja on Monday.
Usman further revealed that Nigeria has, however, demonstrated that political will in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, which President Goodluck Jonathan himself is the council’s chairman.
“In Nigeria, Agricultural Transformation Agenda being pursued by this administration combines both political will, as typified by the inauguration by President Goodluck Jonathan last week of the Agricultural Transformation Council, of which he is Chairman, and the dedicated action represented by the detailed programme and projects in the Agenda, which the Honourable Minister of Agriculture is championing.”
The theme for the Africa Human Development Report 2012 is: “Towards a Food Secure Future.”
The event was specially graced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, and a former governor and now Senator, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.