Ministry, NDLEA Develop Strategy to Tackle Illicit Drugs, Enhance Food Security

In a bid to combat the menace of illicit drugs and enhance food security, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has partnered with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to create alternative livelihoods for illicit drug producers and users.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, stated that the collaboration is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes national security and food security.

“We cannot tackle national security without adequate attention to drug control because they are interlinked,” Kyari emphasized.

According to Kyari, there is a direct correlation between drug abuse and criminality, and if left unchecked, the country may be breeding criminals instead of the next generation of leaders.

However, he noted that agriculture offers immense opportunities to achieve food security and national security by creating employment, promoting youth and women inclusivity, and improving livelihoods.

“We will partner with NDLEA to support both the alternative development initiative and the rehabilitation agenda,” Kyari assured.

“The Ministry would collaborate with the NDLEA to support cannabis growers with agricultural inputs such as seedlings, tractors, fertilizers, and other farm tools, and facilitate the reintegration of rehabilitated persons through agriculture programmes,” he added.

The Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, revealed that out of the 14.3 million drug users in Nigeria, 10.6 million of them abuse cannabis alone, making it the most commonly abused psychoactive substance in the country.

“We need to tell cannabis growers to stop growing cannabis and grow something else, but there has to be incentives for them to agree,” Marwa said.

He also revealed that, “the Alternative Development project has secured the buy-in of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and they are willing to encourage us.

“But for us to tell cannabis growers, please, don’t grow cannabis, grow something else, there has to be incentives for them to agree. I’ve actually had a meeting with some cannabis growers and discussed this idea with them.” he added.

The two agencies have agreed to set up a technical committee to work on the details of the collaboration.