The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Olusola Kehinde, has urged Nigerians to embrace farming to end the country’s hunger crisis.
Kehinde noted that the cries of hunger can only end when all Nigerians show commitment rather than solely depending on others for farm produce.
Thousands of Nigerians, last year, had taken to the streets and major roads in the country to demand “immediate action” on the country’s economic hardship, food crisis and inflation.
The crowd, mostly youths and human rights activists, marched in different states of the country chanting “We’re hungry”, “Don’t kill us”, “Enough of hunger, hardship and anti-poor policies” and “End hardship now.”
Kehinde who spoke on Wednesday, in a press conference heralding the institution’s 32nd convocation ceremony, at the FUNAAB’s red chamber, encouraged Nigerians to start backyard farming in order to support their immediate environment and fundamental necessities.
While acknowledging that agriculture requires hard work, the vice chancellor bemoaned the present generation’s obsession with the pursuit of quick money.
“Last year, people were crying of hunger, no food. That story will not change if we don’t put our shoulders to the wall,” he said.
Continuing, he said: “The government is trying to look at every way to encourage food production and one of such ways is the establishment of the National Agricultural Development Fund which is similar to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. They are getting funds too from different government coffers and they are supposed to fund agriculture.”
He noted that the institution has also extended knowledge to farmers of neighbouring communities, teaching them what they need to know and do about farming.
Meanwhile, he disclosed that the institution’s convocation ceremony slated for January 25, would confer degrees to 3,567 students.
