FOOD SECURITY: FUNDERMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT….
By Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
africa247@gmail.com
A coalition of Non-governmental Organisations have called on the Federal and state governments to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Right to Food and Food Security Act to effectively execute the declaration on the state of emergency on food security in the country.
They made the call in Abuja at a media conference on the new right to food act signed to law by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The President, Farm and Infrastructure Foundation and Chairman, Voices for Food Security, Professor Gbolagade Ayoola explained that the act Obliged government to ensure that the availability, accessibility and affordability of food for the citizens were initiated and implemented.
“Adequate resources are provided to ensure that food security of the nation is not compromised by any individual, group or institution. We would like full policy attention of the present government to be drawn to the provision of this Act with a view to urging government to commence implementation immediately” He said
The Acting Programmes Director, Oxfam Nigeria, Mr. Williams Mafwalal stressed the need for the inclusion of women in the planning and execution of policies geared towards implementing the provisions of the Act and the state of emergency on food security.
“When women are not on the table of discussion when it comes to decision making, then their issues might not be taken seriously. So we build women capacity to have their positions in leadership roles and also demanding for what is on the table for their own production” he said
The Right to Food and Food Security Act also mandates government to regulate the activities of state and non-state actors that were unfriendly to citizens’ food entitlements as a way of protecting the fundamental Human right to Food.