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African
leaders must act urgently to boost agricultural production to avoid a
worsening of the food crisis already being experienced in some
countries, President Goodluck Jonathan has said .

Speaking during a
meeting with the Director-General of the Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO), Jacques Diouf, at the Presidential Villa yesterday,
Mr. Jonathan said that African governments need to evolve and implement
more measures to address the problems hindering increased food
production such as water scarcity and an aging farming population
system.

“Africa really
needs to do more. We must encourage commercial farming. The problem of
young people not wanting to farm is compounded by an aging farming
population and must also be addressed. We must start now to plan and
take action to confront these and other challenges in the area of food
production,” the President said.

He promised Mr.
Diouf that the Federal Government would continue to support and
cooperate with the FAO in its efforts to ensure food security in Africa
and other parts of the world, saying that the organisation’s efforts
under Mr. Diuof’s leadership were already having a beneficial impact on
Africa.

Mr. Diouf told the
President that Nigeria was making good progress in the area of food
production, but could do more to not only ensure its own food security,
but also contribute to other less endowed African countries.

He expressed hope
that under President Jonathan’s leadership, Nigeria will commit more
funds to boosting agricultural production and move much more rapidly
towards doubling its current levels of food production.