The Senate has said youths in Nigeria are critical to attaining and maintaining food security in the country.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, in a statement issued on Thursday to commemorate the International Youth Day 2021, said the youth have the capacity to deploy technology and innovations in the agricultural sector.

In the statement titled ‘Senate Felicitates with Nigerian Youths, Charges Them on Food Security’, Basiru said the federal parliament identifies with the Nigerian youth and congratulates them for their resilience in contributing to national development.

The Senate’s spokesman noted that the theme, ‘Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Plenary Health,’ was relevant “at this period in our national life…especially coming at the time of rising staple food prices and at the time when our youths should focus and divert more energy to the practice of agriculture.”

The statement partly read, “The issues involved in this year’s theme are agriculture and sustainable food production, adequate provision and supply of water for agricultural purposes, especially when seasonal rainfall can no longer be adequate to meet agricultural needs and the effects of weather changes on plants due to climate change.

“Therefore, there must be deliberate efforts to produce a larger volume of food to cater for the good health and well being of not only the existing population but also to prepare and cater for future population increase.

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“As we celebrate Nigerian youths in the different positive ways in which they have been contributing to national development, we must say that they are strategic to securing the national food chain and should be active partners, if the Nation will join the world global community to realise the importance of this year’s theme.

“The Senate, therefore, wishes to encourage the youth to come up with entrepreneurial schemes to improve water and food security through Innovations, direct involvement, determination and dynamism.

“Governments at all levels must also encourage such youth entrepreneurship created around food supply, preservation and availability of adequate water, production of food choices that enhances good health and produce the energy needed to make people engage in productive ventures.”

Basiru added, “In fact, our quest to attain the level already attained by the developed world is to focus on agriculture and sustainable food production, not only to meet our needs but also to export to the world at large.

“To fill this gap, all sectors, youths inclusive, must make major impacts in creative innovation, advocacy and improvements in Agriculture.

“It is on this note that the Senate congratulates the teeming, strong, dynamic, forceful and energetic youths of this country on the celebration of the Youths Day while urging them to brace up to this vital sector.”