UNITED States (US) Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders has challenged Federal Government to adopt appropriate mechanisms to achieve long-term food security saying "Nigeria is the largest importer of rice globally."

"Food security reduces hunger and cannot be accomplished by short-term interventions," she said, while advocating mechanized farming and credit to farmers in the country.

Ambassador Sanders made the call, yesterday, in Lagos while delivering a lecture entitled: The Elements of Democracy-The way forward in the US-Nigerian Bilateral Relationship," at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island.

The lecture was organised by the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship (HHH) Programme Alumni Association in collaboration with the US Mission in Nigeria, to mark the programme's 30th anniversary.

Sanders hailed the Nigerian Humphrey alumni for the celebration and stressed the need for members to contribute meaningful to Nigeria's democratic process and economic development.

"HHH fellowship programme was instituted in honour of late Senator and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who believed strongly in the pillars of democracy from good governance, transparency and global understanding. Former president Jimmy Carter created the Humphrey program in 1978, to honour his exempery leadership, devotion to public service and global unity." She said: "The programme was created to build leaders as yourselves who hold the future of their country in their hands."

On the US foreign policy the envoy said:"Africa is key to US foreign policy and Nigeria is the single most important country in this framework.Given that over 95 per cent of the Nigerian population is involved in agriculture President Obama has launched a $25 million food security initiative in the agricultural sector to create jobs, build capacity and increase food productivity.

The initiative in Nigeria will increase the sales of agricultural products by $220 million for 750,000 farmers including 300,000 homes, support private sector, improve transportation and create over 50,000 new jobs in the sector.

"Under the President's $600 million African Education Initiative, we are producing scholarships to over 2,200 students in 316 schools in 13 states across the country," she added. Chairman of the occasion and National President of Nigeria-America Chamber of Commerce (NACC), Mr. Olaolu Akinkugbe said the tenets of HHH are anchored on good governance and aimed at promoting good governance across the globe.

He pledged support of the chambers to the Humphrey programme which currently has a network of over 4,000 successful participants worldwide, and 97 alumni in the country.

"Good leaders are made not born and the essence of this programme is to raise worthy leaders who would entrain good governance in their various countries. To a very large extent, this goal has been achieved as many alumni of this programme can be found manning the top echelon of politics, business and other leadership position in their various countries," he added.

Earlier in her address, the current President Humphrey Association in Nigeria, Mrs. Gladys Makele, said the anniversary was organized to galvanise support of alumni towards effective participation in the country's democratic process, by deploying networking tools and grass root mobilization.

Though the HHH alumni association is not a political association, it is interested in the political development in the country and its members would continue to contribute meaningfully to the ideals of best practices in nation building and building across in society.

Chairman of the organizing committee, Mr. Jude Ememe explained that HHH is the most prestigious and expensive human development programme, sponsored by US government to citizens of other countries and urged Nigerians to take full advantage of the programme by applying for it.

He enjoined current fellows and alumni to deploy their academic and professional excellence achieved in the Humphrey programme to boost public service in various communities across the country. Highpoints of the anniversary were the cutting of the cake and question and answer session.

Former President of the Association and notable banker Enyinnaya Nwankwo gave the vote of thanks.