Efforts by the Federal Government to ensure food sufficiency in the country have suffered a setback following the destruction of farms by floods in some communities in Kebbi State, President Muhammadu Buhari has declared.
This is as he also expressed sadness over the loss of lives as a result of the floods.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, the president said the disaster could not have come at a worse time.
His words: “I am particularly sad over this incident because it’s a setback to our efforts to boost local rice production as part of measures to stop food importation…
“Kebbi State is the focal point of our policy to produce rice locally as part this administration’s commitment to agricultural revival which suffered relative neglect in favour of food importation.”
The president added: “With the loss of six lives and still counting; thousands of hectares of land flooded and estimated economic losses of more than one billion Naira by rice farmers in Kebbi State, we face a major setback in our efforts to boost local food production…
“This bad news couldn’t have come at a worse time for our farmers and other Nigerians who looked forward to a bumper harvest this year in order to reduce the current astronomical rise in the costs of food items in the markets.”
The president, while sympathising with the bereaved families and farmers affected by the devastating floods, has assured that “we are going to work closely with the Kebbi State government in order to bring relief to the victims.”
