Based on his passion for farming and his commitment to Agricultural development, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, General Paul Boroh has expressed interest in participating in the upcoming 2017 Nutritious Food Fair (NFF 2017), organised by HarvestPlus, an international organisation committed to tackling hidden hunger across the world.

The third edition of the Food Fair which will be hosted by the Enugu State Government, is themed: Scaling-Up Nutritious Food Choices: Engaging Everyone, Everywhere and is scheduled to hold at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu State for three days, starting on the 24th October and ending on the 26th of October, 2017.

In a recent meeting with CEOAfrica, the Country Manager of Harvest Plus, Mr Paul Ilona stated that in addition to encouraging investment into nutritious foods by the public and private sectors as well as stimulating government’s intervention in preventing hidden hunger, another objective of the Food Fair is also to provide about 3000 jobs to unemployed youths.

According to Mr Ilona, major attractions at the NFF 2017 include; product exhibitions from stakeholders in the agricultural sector, the grand finale of NutriQuiz and Nutri Cooking competitions as well as an attempt to set Guinness World Record for the largest nutritious cassava dish in the world. Several countries will also be represented at the 2017 Nutritious Food Fair.  

General Boroh who confirmed his interest in the Enugu Food Fair to CEOAfrica, commended HarvestPlus for the initiative, adding that the event is a welcome development that will propel stakeholders and policy makers into investing in agriculture. He further appreciated the employment creation plan of the food fair saying “if 3000 jobs will be created after the fair, then I’m interested.”

The Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme had in an article published on CEOAfrica website, revealed his passion for agriculture, his personal involvement in farming and his efforts to encourage beneficiaries of the Amnesty programme to participate in the Federal Government’s Agriculture Initiative.

General Boroh’s article reads in part: “I am happy at the level of enthusiasm for agriculture amongst Amnesty Beneficiaries and to harvest this, we had turned to the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) with an agreement to train an initial one thousand beneficiaries and youths at its Bio-Resource Centre in Odi, Bayelsa State. The Presidential Amnesty Office has trained and began to empower Amnesty Beneficiaries in crop farming, fishery and poultry.”