By Omotayo Edubi
An International Foundation, Plant for Peace, has called for advancement of agriculture in rural communities towards achieving food sufficiency and security.
The Founder, Mr. James Brett, said this during a zoom news conference, on Thursday, to usher the organisation’s agriculture conference scheduled to hold in Abuja on April 7.
Mr. Brett explained that plan was on the way to assist rural communities and smallholder farmers in conflict and post-conflict territory in Nigeria to become supplier-chain farmers rather than just for local consumption.
He noted that the organisation had been empowering communities to become self–sufficient through sustainable agriculture and trade.
“The need to advance agriculture in rural development in the midst of conflict is resonated across borders.
“We must begin to stimulate troubled areas of the world in empowering communities to become self-sufficient through sustainable agriculture and a trend to fix smaller farmers and communities in Nigeria.
“We will be participating in a global food market conference on advancing Nigeria’s agriculture and rural development in the midst of conflicts,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), AVAS Consulting, Mr. Michael Kadiri, said the amount of technology and infrastructure that would be delivered by Plant for Peace would create different compelling opportunities in the country’s agricultural sector.
Kadiri affirmed that the initiative would revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria and place of smallholder farmers in delivering maximally.
He said different compelling opportunities in the sector are expected to be highlighted by the conference, as this would be of good interest to local and foreign investors.
The conference with the theme; Advancing Nigeria’s Agriculture and Rural Development in the Midst of Conflict, is expected to be declared open by Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.