Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the federal government to provide an environment that will lead to food security in the country, News About Nigeria reports.
He made this call while speaking at the unveiling of Okun Rice, which was held at Asero, Abeokuta, on Thursday.
Obasanjo noted that the government has no business in production, adding that the primary duty of the government is to provide an environment that enables agricultural production and other business enterprises to thrive.
He also blamed lack of continuity and policy somersault as one of the major hindrances to achieving food security in Africa and the continent’s overall development.
According to the former president, the hunger crisis the nation and the continent are currently battling would not have been this bad if the culture of continuity in developmental and food production efforts had been sustained.
He opined that it is bad that successive governments do not encourage the culture of continuity and maintained that this has significantly impacted food production and agricultural practices in the country.
Obasanjo said, “What I found so ridiculous is that because there has been no continuity in so many things we are doing, you will hear people saying “for the first time ever” as if Nigeria is just beginning today, whereas the problem is lack of continuity.
“When you go back, you will find out that some people have done that which they are talking about in the past, and if we had continued, our situation wouldn’t have been as bad as it is, particularly in the area of food production.
“I have always said it that the government has no business in production, the primary duty of the government is to provide the enabling environment for agricultural production and other business enterprises to thrive so as to achieve food security.”
“So, I am saying that for us to achieve increased food production and achieve food sufficiency at the state, national and continental level, the government must be ready to provide the enabling environment and ensure continuity of assisted agricultural policies to enhance food production.”
