By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The National Bureau of Statistics on Friday marked 2022 African Statistics Day, with a view to improve resilience in Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Security in African.
This year’s program has the theme:
“Strengthening Data Systems by Modernizing the production and the use of Agricultural Statistics: informing policies with a view to improving resilience in Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Security in African “.
In his special remarks, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikande Agba pointed out that statistics is a very crucial tool in government policy Making.
Pince Agba noted the impact of Russia and Ukraine crisis and other ancillary issues on food crisis on Africa, stressing that Nigeria as a nation can feed it’s citizens and strengthening resilience in nutrition and Food Security.
According to him the economy is now diversified to curb the current world food challenge. The need for planning, and for sound education for the Agricultural famers and nutritional food production in Nigeria is necessary.
The Minister further said, the government will continue to provide support for the Modernizing the production and use of Agricultural Statistics, to produce the nutritional food needed for Nigerians.
He added that as from today Nigeria economy is not manage by oil because oil contribute 6.8% only in Nigeria economy, while other sectors like Agriculture contribute more. ” Nigeria produce the best cotton in the world today, because of that cotton farmers need information about that in order to produce more.
Also speaking, the Chairman, National Bureau of Statistics Governing Board, Dr. Kabiru Nakaura said the objective of the program is to exchange view in improving resilience in Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Security because Agriculture data is very essential in time like this when the world are experiencing food security.
The Statistician-General of the Federation, National Bureau of Statistics, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran said this year’s African Statistics Day is to sensitize the public on statistical data, its important in our society and the economy.
Prince Adeniran said the event is timely because of the present food security and nutrition, the crisis in Russia and Ukraine, also the flood has posed a serious concern to the government and the citizens in Africa, most especially in Nigeria.
He described Agricultural data collection as one of the most expensive data collection, He however said NBS has started using that new innovation in collection of Agriculture data.
The Statistician-General assured Nigerians the NBS commitment to continue to play it’s role in guiding and providing accurate data for the government policies and implementation in accordance to SDG Goals.
Furthermore, the president, Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA) Dr. Ebuh Godday reiterated that 18th November every year is always observed and celebrated as African Statistics Day, led by the African Union Commission for Economic Development with a view to promote public awareness among decisions-markers, technical and financial partners, data producers and users researchers, and the general public.
He said Nigerian Statistical Association is neck-deep in statistical advocacy and capacity building to meet the changing dynamic in the frontier of Statistics for the development, improvement, and harmonization of official Statistics in Nigeria in particular, Africa and the world in general.
