the country to a logical conclusion to enable farmers and the citizens go back to their farms.
Ibrahim, who made this known in an interview with New Telegraph, said that government should put in more efforts to encourage farmers in the country return to agribusiness to ensure food security and sufficiency.
The AFAN national chairman said: “With security being number two point on Mr. President 8 points agenda, We need to provide a secure, stable and promising ambiance to encourage farmers and the citizens to go back to farm and to attract foreign agro-investors for sustainable national development.
“We further need to make agriculture attractive to the youths. Let continually leverage on getting our youths engaged positively and get them to developinterest in agri business as tomorrow’s leaders through digitalisation, creative art, security, empowerment, fund availability.
“It is the young population that can assist to drive transformational change required to take preeminence top position in Nigeria food production in global space.”
According to him, “food demand is rising constantly due to increasing populations and incomes.
However, the resources to meet this demand, such as affordable land, irrigation system, lack of good ecological systems which always affect over 20 states each year must be intentionally addressed.
“These finite and increasingly threatening food security, security of life and properties, lack of affordable farm inputs & agricultural implement, structural decay, environmental degradation post much threat to food production in Nigeria and these must be consciously addressed both by the government and the citizens.
Resolving food insecurity must be intentional.” While speaking on solutions to the country’s agricultural sector, Ibrahim explained: “Government must assist in improving the nation security architecture to promote security of farmers, promotes innovation, enhances farmers’ access to high-quality seeds to supports sustainable agriculture, access to single digit finance, access to affordable farm inputs and implements in Nigeria.”
He continued: “Citizens must engage in urban farming/backward farming. Plant what you can consume, don’t consume what you can’t plant !!!
“Agriculture ecosystems as a new economy frontier in Nigeria has the potential to revolutionise Nigeria economy and Nigerians life, from healthcare, environmental sustainability, food production & security, financial sustainability, education.
This can be a game changer and transformer from obscurity to abundance and transform Nigeria in to an enviable space globally.
“We need to trace our steps back to the Agrarian economy and combine same with digital economy with conducive business environment.”
Specifically, he noted: “To my fellow farmers, Let us put our destiny into our hands. Once you are able to have your piece of land, Farming still remain a sector where government can’t have total control unlike other resources such as oil, mining etc.
“There should be increasing awareness and understanding among stakeholders/government agencies, adequate infrastructure and resources, and the need for harmonisation and surgical alignment with regional and international frameworks that will enhance capacity building, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, and averaging technology and innovation for efficiency.
“Each states ministry of Agriculture and Federal must get it right to deliver their mandate of national food security and seamless flow of agricultural-based raw materials for industrial development.
“When a nation sufficiently builds the capacity to self-feed itself, it would literally move to the next stage of development, which is transferring its agricultural surplus to industrial raw materials.
“A hungry nation cannot be a productive nation. For all developed nations, national development rest on two critical supports historically: agricultural development and industrialization before current digital economy.” The renowned agriculturalist added:
