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With Nigeria facing a deepening food insecurity, religious organizations, particularly churches, have been urged to take decisive action by investing in large-scale agriculture to combat hunger and malnutrition.
Reverend Malachi Ogakwu, General Overseer of the Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN), made this call during a visit to the Zonal Church in Nyanya, Abuja, stressing that faith-based institutions must play a proactive role in addressing the country’s worsening food crisis.
His appeal follows a stark warning from the World Food Programme (WFP), which projects that by 2025, 33 million Nigerians will experience acute food insecurity, driven by economic challenges, climate change, and rising insecurity.
The General Overseer of the Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN), Reverend Malachi Ogakwu, explained that the church was keying into agriculture, through a Church Farm Project as there was a need for the church community in Nigeria to urgently take action.
Reverend Ogakwu, maintained that involving religious institutions in food production will not only address hunger, but also creates employment opportunities for graduates of agricultural studies. He said, the church can complement the government’s efforts to tackle food insecurity and unemployment.
The Zonal Pastor in Charge of the Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria, Nyanya Zone, Abuja, Reverend Sunday Agunzi, highlighted the importance of balancing spiritual growth with addressing societal challenges, explaining that, by taking proactive steps to support the community, the church will fulfil its divine purpose.
He stressed that, religious organisations also have a role to play in addressing the pressing needs of the country as government alone can not do everything.
Reporting by Muzha Kucha; Editing by Julian Osamoto