The United States has urged the Federal Government to prioritise investment in agriculture to tackle the prevailing food crisis and the hunger in the country.
The U.S. Charge d’Affaires in Nigeria, David Greene, said that leveraging on abundant agricultural potentials remained a crucial way to bolster food security and fast-track Nigeria’s socio-economic development including the creation of job opportunities.
Greene, who spoke on Wednesday at Ipao Ekiti, in Ikole Council area of Ekiti State during a visit by the U.S. Embassy to the 15,000 hectares Agbeyewa Farms, a private initiative of Cavista Holdings, urged Nigeria to harness its abundant arable lands, fertile soil and favourable weather endowments to provide food for the citizenry and as well export.
According to Greene, “We know that agriculture in Nigeria has lots of incredible potential. The US will do a lot in the sector of course, but I can’t say precisely what we might do in the future. We got investment in Ikun Diary Farms and cocoa production in Ekiti and the rest.
“USAID sees the future and is offering a lot across board to the Nigerian producers collaborating with donors including the World Bank and others. With the kind of economic innovation we see here, we need to work together with the people of Nigerians to benefit the people,” he said.
He urged federal and state governments to take a cue from Agbeyewa Farms which had greatly tapped into the economic potentials of large-scale agriculture, saying, “We are aware of the food security challenge and the post-harvest losses in Nigeria.
With Investments and leadership like this, I think the lives of a lot of Nigerians can be changed for the better.
