Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Olam Agri, Ade Adefeko, has shared insights on the agricultural landscape in Nigeria in light of President Bola Tinubu’s speech on Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary.
Responding to President Tinubu’s speech on Independence Day, Adefeko noted that while availability of food has improved, affordability remains a significant challenge.
Adefeko In an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, expressed a cautiously optimistic sentiment about the current state of agriculture:
“My sentiments are positive… prior to now, we have had availability problems and affordability problems. But right now, we have availability positive and affordability negative, so people can’t afford what is available,” Adefeko said.
He attributed the fluctuations in food prices to cyclical production and harvest patterns.
“I think the overall sentiment on the speech is good words and hope renewed, but what we need now is hope realised.”
Adefeko acknowledged the improvements in security. “To be fair to this administration, to a large extent, the security situation has improved.
Regarding security he said, “A lot of gains have been made. It’s a work in progress, and to a large extent, more farmers have been going back to the farms to continue with their vocation as it were, but I think there is an improvement, though there is still much work to be done.”
He continued, “You need to understand the nexus between food security and national security.
“They are more or less intertwined. I think if that is sorted to a large extent, we would get better yields.”
Adefeko acknowledged improvements in the security situation in northern Nigeria but stressed that more work needs to be done.
“To be fair to this administration, to a large extent, the security situation has improved… A lot of gains have been made, it’s a work in progress, and to a large extent, more farmers have been going back to the farms to continue with their vocation.”
He highlighted the connection between national security and food security, noting that restoring peace is essential for farmers to return to their land and boost agricultural production.
Adefeko argued that the government should focus on creating a supportive policy framework for agriculture rather than directly intervening.
“Government should not be involved in agriculture, but what government should do is define and bring about the policy framework that supports food production.”
He reiterated the importance of private sector involvement, suggesting quarterly meetings between the government and private sector players to understand the issues.
Boluwatife Enome
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