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World Food Day: Our programme targets sufficient, nutritious farming-AUDA-NEPAD Boss
Joel Ajayi
Food insufficiency, unhealthy feeding and farming are about to be reversed at the grassroots across the six geo-political zones after the launching of our initiative to Strengthen smallholder farmers Capabilities, says Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator/ Chief Executive Officer, African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria.
In a statement signed on Saturday in Abuja by Media Assistant to NC/CEO, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria Abolade Ogundimu revealed Akobundu said in a message to mark the 2021 edition of the World Food Day, set aside by the United Nations every 16th of October to solicit global support against food insufficiency and ensure nutritious feeding.
The theme of 2021 edition of Food day is ““Our actions are our future. Better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life”.
According to Akobundu,AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria is passionate about President Muhammadu Buhari’s 9-point Agenda and food sufficiency is a fundamental point.
“President Buhari’s commitment to food sufficiency is being supported through one of our Flagship programmes, the ‘AUDA-NEPAD Initiative to Strengthen Smallholder Farmers Capabilities amid COVID-19 Pandemic’
“The programme aims at eliminating peasant farming in the country through technical and strategic infrastructural supports to grassroots farmers and other stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.
“The programme is a bottom to top approach that will ensure higher yield on crops, cost effective animal farming, leading to prosperous farming, food processing, packaging and smart marketing at the grassroots.
“The urban consumers in a nation of over 200 million people will definitely be happy to have affordable and nutritious foodstuffs in the market, while neighbouring countries too can get more farm products from Nigeria,” she said.
Akobundu added that food sufficiency could also help reduce restiveness in the country as some security experts had linked poverty to insurgency, kidnapping and other vices.
“Attaining sufficient and nutritious feeding status is a great achievement for any nation and President Buhari-led government is passionate about it.”Most grassroot farmers put in a lot of efforts to harvest their minimal yields but if right tecknology and skills are at their reach, farming will become more condusive and profitable.
“As the nation observes World Food Day, let us key into the farmers initiative that we are about to unveil and other various programmes, capable of promoting peace and prosperity in the country so that other great potentials of the nation can be harnessed,” she said.
Akobundu added that pilot scheme of the project would commence in 22 states across the six geo-political states of the nation after the launching.
In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria came up with the programme in an inclusive manner by engaging the Nigerian Governors Forum, other state and Non-state Actors to ensure its sucess.
Akobundu is a Member, AU-APRM Taskforce on Governance Response to COVID-19 and other pandemicsGovernor Abdulrahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara became Chairman of the National Steering Committee of the programme while some governors, representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including funding partners are members of the Committee.
The initiative is expected to be on for 10 years across the 36 states and the FCT in order to transform Nigeria’s agricultural practice at the grassroots to global standard.
The Agency Boss said Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, C.E.O, AUDA-NEPAD Continental is expected to meet the funding partners of the the programme on Wednesday, 20th October while the Initiative will be formally unveiled on Thursday, 21st October in Abuja.
Featured
Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support
Joel Ajayi
Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.
More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.
The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.
Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.
The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.
Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.
Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.
Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.
Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.
The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.
Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.
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