President of Republic: “Food Self-sufficiency Is a Matter of Sovereignty and National Security”
His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the President of the Republic, has affirmed that food self-sufficiency is a matter of sovereignty and national security and that achievement is a crucial way to concretize the true independence of countries. He added that agriculture is both an essential pillar and a solid foundation for any renaissance.
In a statement to the Mauritanian news agency on the sidelines of his visit to the Dar Salam agricultural farm, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghasouani highlighted the need to take advantage of the new rain precipitations this season to achieve a considerable improvement in agricultural production, particularly regarding seasonal crops which have recently experienced a remarkable decline despite the existence of dams and vast fertile areas.
He reaffirmed the availability of the State to build more dams, to train human resources, and to provide farmers with equipment, fences, and agricultural inputs.
He added that the significant amounts of rainfall in the season can be exploited for creating job opportunities, meeting the food needs of cities, and selling surplus production.
In this context, the President of the Republic urged the administrative authorities, the citizens, and the judicial services to work toward the resolution of land disputes that handicap the exploitation of arable land.
He added that it is the administrative authorities’ job to seek solutions to these land conflicts between citizens. In the event of failure, the judiciary will intervene to render justice because the disruption of the exploitation of a dam or fertile areas is unacceptable behavior in a country that needs the efforts of all its citizens, especially in agricultural production.
The President of the Republic called on young people to raise citizens’ awareness about the importance of agriculture and to take advantage of the atmosphere of the annual holidays to encourage people to increase agricultural production and practice rural activities during their free time. He indicated that by anchoring this behavior, we would obtain significant results for the benefit of this vital sector.
He also explained that in our country there is an organic link between farmers and breeders, stressing the need to strengthen the bonds of affection, brotherhood, and good neighborliness between them.