Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and former Anambra State Governor has said the Federal Government can address the economic situation of the country such as inflation and food security if it can maximize the agricultural sector.
Obi who spoke on Monday at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) headquarters in Ibadan said, “If we invest in agriculture and fully explore our fertile lands, we will not only end hunger and eradicate poverty but also drive down inflation and earn huge amounts of foreign exchange through agricultural exports.
“Our mission remains to move Nigeria from consumption to production, as this will help us to achieve the new and productive Nigeria of our dreams.
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He added that Nigeria’s agriculture industry is still vital to the country’s economy and shouldn’t be disregarded. “Hunger and food insecurity stem from our blatant disregard for agriculture, which also leads to the high rate of food inflation we currently face,” he stated.
“Lack of investment in agriculture,” he argued, “has resulted in the high level of hunger and poverty in the country today. In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranked 109th out of the 125 countries measured, showing a serious hunger level in the nation.
According to him, aside from achieving food security, Nigeria could earn huge foreign exchange from agriculture.
“I have maintained consistently that Nigeria could earn more from agriculture than it presently earns from oil. I have also said that the biggest assets of our nation are the vast uncultivated lands in the North,” the presidential candidate states.
