Nigerian govt launches `My Food Bank’, food security initiative

Nigerian govt launches `My Food Bank’, food security initiative –  “My Food Bank’’, an initiative of young Nigerians to address the problem of food security in the country has been launched by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari, at the launch, said that hunger and poverty were the major challenges the nation.

The initiative heralded the activation of the first one million food bank smart cards and Farm City Project.

Buhari who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legal Matters, Prof. Adamu Usman, said there was urgent need to address the problem of hunger and poverty.

He said that everybody should be encouraged to go back to farm.

“We are aware of this and the government is committed to supporting this programme because it is noble,” he said.

The National Chairman, My Food Bank Programme, Dr Adamu Biu, said the idea behind the programme was to assist the government in its effort to fight corruption, insecurity and poverty.

Biu said the programme was aimed at creating avenue for millions of Nigerians to have access to affordable and free food in any part of the country.

He said the programme would also create employment for young Nigerians and local farmers through its Food City Project.

According to him, the first one million my food bank smart cards have been released for people to use for accessing cheap and affordable food.

“We are getting support from both the national government and international donors who are funding the programme as well as well meaning Nigerians.

“It is a response to the call by Mr President that we need to address the problem of poverty and hunger.

“It is our desire that every Nigerian have access to food irrespective of their location and social standing in order to eliminate hunger because when you end hunger you have solved the problem,” he said.

Also, the National Coordinator of the Food City Project, Mr Daniel Orogun, said the organisation has commenced serious mobilisation in the 774 local governments in the country to appoint Food city mayors who would manage the project.

Orogun said the idea behind the project was to have farms in all the locations to enable them reach to every part of the country.

He said the project would on the long run lead to elimination of hunger and creation of jobs.

“We have been able to raise 500 mayors from many states of the country, especially the south west states down to the middle belt and north east,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that a number of Tricycle riders, youth corps members, market women and widows were present at the event. (NAN)