By George George Idowu and Ojugbele Omotunde
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq has attributed climate change and population growth as a big threat to food production and accessibility.
He said there is need for collective efforts from the three tiers of government in the country to support smallholder farmers, empower rural communities, and harness innovative and modern technology to boost food production.
Governor AbdulRazaq made these statements on Monday during inauguration of multi-sectoral State Working Committee on food security at Ilorin, the state capital.
The committee was charged to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that people of Kwara State have access to affordable food.
He said it is the committee’s responsibility to develop strategies , policies and initiatives to address food security challenges across the state and promote sustainable agricultural practices among other things.
His words: “As we embark on this journey, we must acknowledge the challenges ahead. Climate change, population growth, and economic instability threaten to disrupt food production and access. Yet, we must remain steadfast to overcoming these obstacles.”
Meanwhile, an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and Public Health Epidemiologist, Dr. Ishaku Akyala, has highlighted the impact of climate change on public health in Africa.
He said destructive weather events, such as heat waves and floods , increased the burden of disease and the number of fatalities throughout the continent.
Akyala made these statement in Abuja on Monday while speaking with reporters.
He highlighted the detrimental effects of climate change on vulnerable groups such as the poverty stricken women and children in the society.
He, however, called on the federal and state governments, health institutions, and other professional bodies to take immediate ction and raise public awareness of these effects.
For better understanding of the connection between climate change and human health, Prof. Akyala noted that inter-disciplinary study across different levels, geographic, and political borders is necessary.
While highlighting that climate change poses a threat to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), particularly on environmental sustainability, he said urgent action is needed by the IPCC and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
On his part, he recommended that to lessen the effects of climate change on people’s health, government and health system should modify their approach, some which include bolstering disease surveillance networks, boost infrastructure for healthcare, and ensure food and water security.