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The co-founder of Global Initiative for Nigeria Development (GIND), Engr. Michael Ale, has advised the Federal Government to involve water experts in the implementation of the declaration of state of emergency on food security in the country.
The water expert, while reacting to the recent state of emergency declared on food security by President Bola Tinubu, stated that there is no sustainable and equitable food security without water.
According to Ale, the declaration of state of emergency on food security involves more than one ministry, adding that how to achieve good coordination remains a concern.
While thanking the president for thinking in this direction, he noted that it should no longer be business as usual in the different ministries, departments and agencies.
“Stakeholders invited and those not yet invited should be ready to play their role selflessly. State of emergency overrides other instructions and laid down principles, thus bypassing usual bureaucracy. But what can man do without water? The National Economic Council should invite the water association for their contribution,” Ale said.
Ale, who is the National President of AWDROP, further explained that irrigation alone using surface water cannot handle most of the peasant farmers’ needs and not fair on farmers from other parts of the divide.
“Conjunctive use of both surface and groundwater is critical for sustainable food security and job creation. Engaging stakeholders in the water sector, especially practitioners within the master drillers group like AWDROP will safeguard the fund allotted for the project on food security,” he added.
The AWDROP President noted that these stakeholders should not be left behind in the provision of affordable water for irrigation and livelihood.