The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Mahmood has revealed that the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) will be establishing six Plant Health Clinics across the geopolitical zones of the country.
He said the Buhari administration is undertaking a massive strategic intervention to equip the NAQS Post-Entry Station and Training School in Ibadan to serve as a Center of Excellence in Plant Health.
Abubakar stated this during the Ministerial Press briefing to mark the International Day of Plant Health in Abuja on Monday, adding that plants account for at least 80% of the food human beings consume and produces 98% of the oxygen we inhale.
“Plants are our lifeline. We can’t breathe without them. Herbs, shrubs, flowers, and trees furnish our landscape.”
According to Abubakar, Healthy plants are at the very core of food security. “Our ability to meet our nutritional needs and dietary preferences hinges on the status of our plant health. Healthy plants mean a thriving economy.”
He said further that the healthier our plant resources are, the more business value we can generate from crop agriculture, and create decent jobs in the crop value chains.
Also, the Controller General, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, said the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2020 the International Year of Plant Health in recognition of the place of plants in nature and their value in the world.
