[By Abigail Philip David]
The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill for the second reading, which seeks to establish the National Food Reserve Agency. Sponsored by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central), the bill aims to bolster the agricultural sector, ensuring national food security, and managing food storage and emergency crises.
In his lead debate, Senator Mustapha emphasized that the proposed agency would fill a critical gap in agricultural development, particularly in coordinating programs and projects in collaboration with national and international agencies. He noted that a food reserve agency is vital for improving food and nutrition security across the country.
“The establishment of a strategic grain reserve will stabilize prices of staple foods, benefiting both consumers and farmers,” Mustapha stated.
He further explained that the agency would provide guidelines for creating and maintaining buffer stocks, ensuring price stabilization and food availability during crises. “The current hardship caused by soaring food prices could be alleviated with the agency’s capacity to stabilize prices and ensure the availability of food through buffer stock management,” he added.
The bill’s objectives include implementing a National Food Reserve Policy to ensure a reliable supply of key commodities, reducing post-harvest losses by building and managing storage facilities like silos and warehouses, and guiding states in maintaining their own buffer stocks.
Senator Mustapha stressed that once enacted, the bill would help the nation achieve its goal of food self-sufficiency and long-term food security.
Following its passage for the second reading, the Senate referred the bill to its Committee on Agriculture for further legislative review, with a report expected in four weeks.
