By Boluwatife Adedokun
The Executive Director of the Social Economic and Civic Right Advocacy (SECRA), Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, has urged the federal and state governments to invest in agriculture and food production rather than focusing on distributing rice to citizens.
Speaking on Monday during a Newspaper Review programme on City Mirror TV, and reacting to the Distribution of rice to citizens during Ramadan and Lenten period by President Bola Hammed Tinubu, Olowu stressed that strengthening agricultural production remains the most sustainable solution to Nigeria’s growing food challenges.
He said, “Rather than distributing rice, the government should invest in agriculture, invest in tools, and invest in youth to go into farming. Every state should be able to provide food for its citizens.”
He warned that reliance on imported rice undermines Nigeria’s agricultural sector and food security.
“When we are not producing but just buying rice from other countries, it will have a negative effect on our food production. The distribution of rice today is an indication that Nigeria is in a state of war. Nigerians are now a reflection of refugees,” Olowu said.
He also proposed a system where state governments work directly with farmers within their regions.
“The state government should buy from the farmers that fall under their geopolitical regions, process it, and sell it to Nigerian people,” he said.
Olowu urged the establishment of rice processing mills across the six geopolitical zones to strengthen local production.
“When the government cultivates rice, it should be the duty of the state government to buy from them, take it to rice processing mills, and sell it,” he added.
Recalling previous agricultural policies, Olowu said, “When President Buhari was in office, he invested in rice production and imposed a ban on rice importation but today rice farmers association, agricultural association has claimed that the president has failed in investing in rice in local rice production.”
He stressed that a state of emergency in agriculture would encourage youth participation in farming and boost food production nationwide.
“When we invest in agriculture and production rather than just distributing rice, we create a system that sustains the nation’s food needs and empowers our youth,” he said.
