Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasized the importance of food security, urging the federal government to treat it as a national security need.
Speaking at the AgriConnect 2024 Summit, he stressed the need for collaboration and innovation to ensure a sustainable agricultural future.
Obasanjo highlighted the challenges faced by farmers, including limited access to financing, and advocated for single-digit interest loans to support their scaling and expansion.
He believes this will enhance food production and reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
His call to action aims to prioritize food security and promote sustainable agriculture, recognizing the critical role it plays in national security, economic growth, and the well-being of Nigerians.
“Any country that offers more than a single-digit loan to people in agribusiness is not helping farmers. We know farmers need money, we also know food is national security,” Obasanjo said.
He added that, inasmuch as adequate finance is needed for the sector to thrive, availability and access to land are also crucial for the country to boost food production.
The former president of Nigeria, who is also a renowned farmer, remarked that for Nigeria to achieve food security, more attention needs to be given to the agricultural sector.
He emphasised the role of the government for farmers, saying that the federal government has to do a lot more for the sector as this will make the sector attractive to the youths.
