Food security expert, Reginald Ekeanyanwu, has issued a stark warning about the escalating hunger crisis in Nigeria, stating that Nigerians are getting hungrier, and when it gets to a point of hunger they can no longer accommodate, there will be a revolution in the country.
During an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Ekeanyanwu emphasised the critical need to address food security and the underlying issues causing hunger. He linked the growing hunger crisis directly to the country’s insecurity, saying, “When hunger becomes the daily norm, there’s a problem, and that is exactly what is driving our insecurity issues.”
Ekeanyanwu criticised the government’s handling of agricultural resources and the lack of support for farmers. He highlighted the challenges faced by farmers due to insecurity, recounting an incident in Benue State where a farmer was killed, making others hesitant to work their fields. “Farmers are no longer going to their farms; they are farming within their communities,” he observed.
He argued for the mechanisation of agriculture to increase productivity and employment. “Agriculture can absorb all the unemployed Nigerian youth,” Ekeanyanwu stated, stressing the importance of modernising farming practices and providing adequate tools and technology to farmers. He criticised the allocation of government funds to non-farmers, advocating for direct support in the form of agricultural implements.
Ekeanyanwu also called for the commercialisation of agriculture at the local government level, urging the use of federal funds to develop large-scale farming operations that can provide jobs and increase food production. He warned against the influence of cartels obstructing government interventions and emphasised the need for transparency and accountability.
On the topic of food imports and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Ekeanyanwu voiced his preference for traditional farming methods and seeds. “There’s no reason for us to modify food when what we have had served us over the years,” he stated, advocating for the use of natural seeds that have historically supported Nigerian agriculture.
In conclusion, Ekeanyanwu stressed the urgency of addressing the hunger crisis to prevent social upheaval. “If the government is not ready to do the right thing, the general public must participate and partner with the farmers,” he said, calling for collective action to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.
NNEOMA UDENSI
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