The Provost, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Dr Adekoya Olatunde Owosibo, has urged the ever-increasing population of the youths across the country to consider getting fully involved in farming.
The agricultural biochemist and animal scientist made this appeal while speaking on the importance of the World Food Day yesterday, Sunday, October 16, 2022; he expressed his sadness and disillusionment with the worsening food scarcity in the country, despite the president’s effort to revamp the agricultural sector.
According to him, “The rising cost of food items in the country is a way of saying that we have not done much in agriculture, despite all the efforts of our president, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd). Indeed, it is such a heart-wrenching situation.”
“It is obvious that the neglect of the agribusiness, especially here in the southern part of the country has cost us a lot. The insecurity in the North, making them quite unable to do as they used to, has led to sharp decline in food supply. We are not supposed to be experiencing this. I call on you brothers and sisters to look deep into the agriculture value chain and see what you can do. Truly, the agricultural sector will provide a sustainable job for you, I am a witness,” he said.
He also expressed his gratitude to the United Nations for setting aside October 16, yearly, as a day of raising awareness on the need for food security and efforts being made to achieve it, while urging the government to make the agricultural sector more attractive to youths.
The day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 1979. Since then it has been an annual event. This year’s theme is “Leave No One behind”. The UN has stated that war, disasters, like flooding, among others, pose serious challenges to food security globally.