The Center for Food Safety and Agricultural Research (CEFSAR) has hailed the “Every Home a Garden” initiative spearheaded by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The organisation said the initiative was an organic and safe strategy to boost farming culture across the federation.
It also rallied support for Cross River State’s Agricultural Business Initiatives.
In his keynote address at the World Food Day celebration held at the Cross River State Liaison Office, Lagos, Deputy Director of CEFSAR, Dr. Segun Adebayo emphasised the importance of families across the federation establishing home gardens and participating in the “Every Home a Garden” initiative.
Dr. Adebayo also praised the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, for his “Project Grow” initiative, launched in July 2024.
He said the initiative aims to create agricultural jobs for over 100,000 youths in the state and boost agricultural output.
He further called on well-meaning Nigerians to connect with the Cross River State Investment Promotion Bureau to take advantage of the state’s highly lucrative agricultural investment opportunities.
Dr. Adebayo stressed the need to promote sustainable agroecological farming systems, steering away from the use of toxic agrochemicals and controversial genetically modified crops (GMOs).
He also encouraged the people of Cross River State to invest in promoting their healthy traditional foods, such as Afang and white soup, known for their medicinal properties and as part of the ancestral cuisine.
These traditional practices, he noted, have sustained Cross Riverians, allowing them to live beyond 100 years in rural communities where safe farming methods are practised without agrochemicals or GMOs.
Dr. Adebayo noted that food insecurity in Nigeria stems not from the often-blamed climate change but from issues such as low purchasing power, post-harvest losses, poor road infrastructure, inadequate transportation, insufficient storage facilities, reliance on food imports, insecurity on farms, kidnapping, and the undue influence of foreign interests seeking to monopolise Nigeria’s seed and food businesses.
He pointed out that while climate change is a new challenge for this generation, more pressing economic concerns need immediate attention.
The Special Adviser to the Governor at the Lagos Liaison Office, Esther Bephep, who hosted the event, reiterated the Governor’s commitment to ensuring that every Cross Riverian had access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food, leading to a healthier and better lifestyle.
She highlighted the Governor’s focus on sustainable agriculture, innovative farming practices, and community empowerment through the agricultural value chain.
Bephep also outlined three major projects under Governor Bassey Otu’s administration: Project Grow, which aims to empower over 100,000 agribusinesses across all 18 local government areas of Cross River State; statewide irrigation initiative designed to transform Cross River into a leading seed-producing state and the Cross River Rice Farm Project focused on enhancing rice production in the state.
