Nigerians would starve to death by 2050 if nothing was done to ensure an all year round farming - FG
THE Presidency, yesterday, raised alarm that Nigerians would starve to death by 2050 if nothing was done to ensure an all year round farming.
It also said with the rate the country was going, the population would by 2050 rise to 509 million.
Audu-OgbehAccording to the Federal Government, the present mode of farming will not sustain the increasing population in the country.
It noted that there was the urgent need for all major stakeholders to work towards improving mechanized farming and irrigation, to ensure an all year farming to avert the problem.
Speaking, yesterday, during the budget defence of 2016, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the country had the capacity to grow the grass required by the cattle to consume.
He said: “We have written to state governments to encourage them to develop dams and canals so that agriculture becomes an all year round activity and it is not confined to the rainy season alone.
“Besides, by 2050, Nigeria population will be very close to 500 million at the current rate of growth. This is just 34 years from now. If we carry on at the current rate of one crop per year, with very low mechanization, Nigerians run the risk of starving to death.
He said: “We intend to intensity and consolidate on the local staples, the yams, the cassava, the beans, especially rice and wheat. Both of which consume $11 million per day in import. The figure is going down a bit. We can’t afford that in the long run because we don’t even have the resources.
“The ministry has put necessary machinery in motion to stop the constant bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers. We have decided we are going to develop massive paddocks across the country.
“What the cows are looking for is grass and water. We have the capacity to grow the grass we want not just any kind of grass but highly nutritive grass for the cows to eat. If it can be done in Kenya, Saudi Arabia, there is no reason why we can’t do it here.
‘’There is sizable provision for grassing at hinterland, by developing water, drilling of boreholes and small dams to irrigate those areas already mapped out. In the process we hope that the cattle herdsmen would have a more stable life.”
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ReplyDeleteWhat a timely advice from the Minister of Agriculture- Audu-Ogbeh. Nigerians must realize that the country needs mechanized farming over the years. Corruption has played devastating roles in the agricultural sector. Thanks to the former agriculture minister whose efforts in reducing corruption brought about the little gain the country has made in agriculture. Happily, the present minister too is seriously interested in the modern development of agriculture in the country. There are professional farmers world wide who are readily available to help Nigeria develop its agriculture sector. The approach and initiative must come first from the Ministry of Agriculture to the appropriate embassy or consulate for consultation and approval. I can assure you, Nigeria has arable land that can feed the rest of the world if properly managed! Fortunately, we equally have the manpower to complement our agricultural products. If agriculture is given the pride it deserves in our budget, unemployment of our youths would reduce considerably. A nation that is not capable of feeding it teeming population is not considered a progressive country. I would strongly advise the Federal Government to make upward adjustment to its current budget on agriculture. We have a current President that is deeply interest in modern agriculture. He has demonstrated his love for agriculture by investing heavily in it. Let all hands be on deck for this is the only option that remains to help Nigeria sustain the anticipated global shortfall on edible foods!
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