Emmanuel Bello

Ensuring Taraba state gets a special position in the yet to be inaugurated Food Security Council was a significant move by President Muhammadu Buhari. And no better time to set this all important council up than now that a famine looms in the nation's horizon. Taraba state's addition also is coming at a time when Arc. Darius Ishaku is in charge of things and making food security the corner stone of his administration. A farmer himself, agricullture is one area the governor is making a great showing in his rescue agenda in the state.
Taraba state itself is historically agrarian. Its lush fields and very fertile soil formation should easily earn it the sobriquet "Farmland of the nation". Rather, this green expanse is called nature's gift to the nation. This is in recognition of the fact that Taraba offers Nigeria many natural gift from the agrarian to tourism. The Mambilla highland, just to mention one place, is not only a statement in tourism. It is also the headquater of cows, diary products and tea nationwide. Mambilla dams would end the electricity curse of Nigeria. Not many are aware of this unique position of Taraba in Nigeria. How many know, for instance, that Taraba state also has the largest share of River Benue with all its aqua resources? Not many know that Taraba has got more cows than any other state in Nigeria. It is also a fact that we are the best when it comes to yams and other cash crops.
But it is rice that is the untapped magic of this agriculturally rich state. Recently, white farmers from Kenya stormed the state along side former President Olusegun Obasanjo to explore the possibility of starting "Africa's largest rice farm." It is initiatives like this that the Federal Ģovernment needs to encourage and invest in.
Taraba needs the proverbial federal might to reposition it for exploits in the food sector. And it seems to me the Buhari's administration did well by putting aside political differences and latching into these assets. Governor Ishaku, on his part, is a good team player who would bring to bear years of academic excellence as a lecturer and both public and private sector experience on the council.
For Taraba state too, this a time to shine in an area we already have a great record and comparative advantage by serving as the lighthouse of the council. One area we must beam our searchlight is the need to end the senseless herdmen/farmers clash. This serious matter has caused grave problems already to food security in the land. While some farmers have given up on farming completely, other approach their farms with fear. Both response borne out of terror is one that should worry anyone with an eye on the future.
The president should know that the herdmen invasion is the biggest threat to food security. Their continuous activities is a harbinger for starvation. And stagnation. Funny enough, livestock is also part of food security and the president must find ways to balance these two main areas of agricullture. We need cows and their products. But we equally need the food from the farm. The council must find a way to keep these two activities together in a new era of mutual coexistence. Taraba state is already thinking of this really necessary reality with its anti open grazing law.
Bello is the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Darius