Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has said the armed forces are taking proactive measures to safeguard agricultural zones to enable farmers discharge their crucial role of making Nigeria food secure.
The assurance came yesterday ahead of the upcoming planting season and against the backdrop of increasing concerns over the state of insecurity in various parts of the country which has negatively impacted on agricultural activities and the country’s quest for food security.
General Musa who spoke with journalists during a visit to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security yesterday established a nexus between food security and national stability and stressed the need to address the stark reality that hunger breeds insecurity.
The CDS also called for a united front against the threats to food security while stating that military actions alone were not sufficient to combat the rising tide of insecurity, rather, a collaborative approach involving working in tandem with other security agencies and the populace to combat the multifaceted nature of insecurity.
According to the CDS, President Bola Tinubu has given them the mandate to ensure that farmers are able to go back to farming so that Nigeria can have bumper harvests.
In a move to directly contribute to food security, the CDS further disclosed that the armed forces have initiated the opening of Defence Farms.
Musa believed that these farms will play a significant role in improving food security, stating, “without food security no nation can thrive; when we can’t eat, insecurity will thrive.”
The CDS appealed to the ministry for support in providing inputs, tractors, and farm implements for the Defence farm.
He noted that the support remains crucial for the success of the initiative, especially in regions like the North East, where the return of farmers to their lands is vital for increasing food production and reducing prices.
He said, “The President has given us a mandate to ensure that farmers are able to go back to farm so that we can have bumper harvests. We know if there is hunger, there will be insecurity no matter what military actions you take. Once people are hungry, insecurity will drive. So we’ll do everything possible to ensure that there’s security for farmers to go back.
“We’re working together with other security agencies, including the populace and recall. We said that for insecurity everybody has a role to play and together we can all achieve success, the armed forces will continue to work together with the government to improve food security”.
Earlier, the minister, Abubakar Kyari, buttressed that food security and nation security are interconnected and collaboration with security agencies could lead to success in both areas.
He stated that ensuring land security and allowing farmers to cultivate land could also stimulate economic growth, reducing youth concerns and criminality.
