ABUJA – A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Fatoba Olusola Steve, has identified insecurity and unwillingness on the part of Nigerians to invest in agriculture as the reasons for the country’s food crisis.
Fatoba who represents Ado Ekiti-Irepodun/Ifelodun Ekiti Central federal constituency 1 said the perceived food shortage in Nigeria is not justifiable going by the nation’s agriculture potential.
He said Nigeria will not in any way find it difficult to feed her population of farming or agriculture is fully harnessed and viewed as a big business and lucrative source of income generation.
During a chat with journalists, the chairman, House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, therefore, called on the state governments to invest heavily in agriculture to make it attractive to the youth and take them off the streets.
The federal lawmaker said, “God has blessed the country in terms of geographical location, good weather, arable lands. Nigeria should be able to feed her population. There is a popular Yoruba adage that says “When hunger being a major part of poverty is addressed, the challenge of poverty in itself is solved”.
“Some countries that don’t have the kind of the fertile soil we have here are feeding themselves with their agricultural produce and have enough to export to earn foreign exchange. Even a country like Ukraine despite being in war with Russia is still exporting wheat. We too can grow within Nigeria, there is no crop that cannot grow on our soil. But it all depends on the willingness on the part of the people and the government.
“State government most especially should see agriculture or farming as a serious business. By doing so, they will be able to invest heavily in the agric sector. They can engage the interested youths by clearing the farmlands, giving them seedlings, fertilizers, agricultural implements, like tractors, power tillers and the rest. These will help us to grow our foods and at the same time export to the foreign countries. So we can feed ourselves.’’
