President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to embrace farming as it will ensure food security which in turn, will improve the security situation in the land.
He made the appeal on Saturday while delivering the goodwill message at the 2019 Farmers’ Day in Obie, Rivers State, organised by Nigerian Agip Oil Company.
The president acknowledged farmers as the catalysts that led the country to the food self-sufficiency it now enjoys and for saving it billions of dollars yearly, which otherwise would have been spent on food importation.
“Agriculture is one of the veritable ways to economic recovery. It guarantees employment to millions of our people, particularly the youth, engenders better living standards, enhances the income of people, and ensures food security. This, in turn, will improve the security situation in the land,” Buhari said.
He said funds saved on food importation are now deployed to other developmental projects, particularly infrastructure.
Buhari poured encomiums on farmers describing them as “our authentic heroes, not only for today, but for tomorrow and evermore.”
He said agriculture has insulated the Nigerian economy against recession, noting that economy no longer crashes again anytime oil prices crash in the international market.
He thanked God for being kind to the nation and for giving it abundant rainy season and good harvests in the past four seasons.
He also charged farmers to take precautions against bad harvest.
“As at 2015, our economy was in such perilous state, with oil prices crashing internationally, and so many challenges nationally and locally. In fact, our country was in a desperate state.
“We then decided to put the modest resources we had where our mouth was. We focused on agriculture, and God heard our prayers. And we got good returns from our investments,” he said.
The President said farming has brought fortune to millions of Nigerians who embraced it, as it has turned round their social and economic status.
He recognised that the real wealth of the country lies primarily in farming, livestock, foresting and fisheries.
“Farmers are now among very well to do Nigerians. They can cater for their families, meet other existential needs, and even embark on various capital projects.
“Above all, farmers have led the country to the food self-sufficiency we now enjoy, saving us billions of dollars yearly, which would have been spent on food importation. Such funds are now deployed to other developmental projects, particularly infrastructure,” Buhari said.
He assured that the federal government will continue to stand by farmers as it did last year, by giving financial support to affected farmers, when floods caused havoc to farmlands.
He said agriculture is one of the veritable ways to economic recovery as it guarantees employment to millions of the people, particularly the youth and engenders better living standards.
He also commended the Nigerian Agip Oil Company for organising the Farmers’ Day, something the company has done consistently for 30 years, noting that in its own way, Agip has empowered, encouraged and celebrated farmers in 300 host communities in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Imo States.
He stressed that it is the intention of government to make agriculture the backbone of the economy it once was before petroleum was discovered and farming neglected for easy petroleum-dollars.
“We made our priorities clear from the beginning. We want to secure our country so that it can be efficiently managed, we want to curb corruption, and revive the economy“ .
THISDAY
