The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to introduce a food stamps programme as an interim measure to cushion the effects of food insecurity in the country.
This was even as the Red Chamber also called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to liaise with development partners and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, which introduced Temporary Food Assistance Programme, TEFAP, a few years ago.
These resolutions followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume as well as majority of other Senators during Tuesday's plenary.
Food stamps is a supplemental nutrition assistance programme that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people to help them maintain adequate nutrition and health.
Contributing, other lawmakers said there is no better time for the motion than now, adding that identifying vulnerable people in his constituency has always been a problem but that the food stamps will help.
In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, who provided over plenary, also agreed that the programme, if implemented, would help assuage the sufferings of Nigerians.
The upper chamber however believed that the introduction of the programe has become necessary with a view to working out practicable templates and implementable modalities for the actualization of the programme.
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