By Ayodede Fagbohun

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It is imperative that the State Governors  must evince utmost  national concern and patriotism to nip the crisis in   food shortage alongside its attendant hike in prices commodities and imminent famine in the bud as a  backlash to ravages of insidious pervasive COVID-19  scourge and other jeremiad of endemic problems which of recent stalked our badly mis-managed economy.

This is, in a flagrant and nonchalant disregard to the rich and robust economic and natural potential, greatly abound in the country.

Incidentally, the buck stops at the various state governors who are more constitutionally empowered and strategically at vantage position, poised for effective mobilization of resources, grit develop and consolidate agriculture as the mainstay of our economy from the days of yore.

As if it  saw it coming, the authoritative Editorial of The  Hope newspaper on Friday May 13, 2022 sounded a death knell on the impending food crisis on West Africa sub-region.

The president, African Development Bank (AFOB), Dr Akinwunmi Adesina declared that hunger had become “a way of life in Nigeria, since Nigeria is a consuming nation”.

According to The Hope editorial, “Nigeria  as a country is drifting towards food crisis to a serious food insecurity that may push it and her people to further poverty.

“The bank president had raised the alarms that the ongoing war between Russian and Ukraine will likely trigger food riots and politics crisis especially amongst nations that depend so much  on food imports from the troubled war zone.

“Also, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO corroborated Adesina’s warning saying that the food crisis might hit over 16.9 million Nigerians in 2020, as consumption is expected to slightly worsen, dur to possible reduction in household, market stocks and rise in prices.

“FAO representative in Nigeria, FCT, Abuja , Fred Kafeero stated that 16.9 million in 20 states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are expected  to be in crisis or worse, between June and August 2022.

The said editorial graphically enthused that the  frightening serious picture of food insecurity that  Nigeria contended with such as worsening unemployment, looming food scarcity both in want and price  tag might worsen the precarious situation if urgent  and decisive step was not taken especially by government at all levels, to correct  the  anomalies.

As far as agriculture is concerned, the states and the  local governments should be finetuned, and best suited to manage and oversee agriculture for effective and efficient service delivery to the people both  in the rural and urban centres of the country.

This is perfectly in tune and consonance with some constitutional provision. It is expressly and eloquently enunciated in Part II concurrent legislative list, extent of federal and state legislative powers.

Perse item 18 subject to the provisions of  1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with Amendments 2011, a House of  Assembly may make laws for that state with  respect to industrial, commercial or agricultural development of the state.

Nothing in the foregoing paragraphs of this item shall be construed  as precluding a House of Assembly from making laws with respect to any of the matters referred to, in the foregoing  paragraphs.

For the purposes of the foregoing paragraphs   of this item, the word “ agricultural” includes, fishery.

In its report, the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) amply states that the tasks facing  the agricultural sectors in Nigeria are to provide amongst others.  (1) the  food requirements of a rapidly growing population.

The agricultural raw materials for Nigeria’s developing industries.

The volume of exports needed to  pay for the imports of capital goods.

 Employment for the additional agricultural working population.

From the foregoing, I must say again that during the short experiment of Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin as the first elected governor of Ondo State 1979-1983, Agriculture took a prominent pride   of place in the administration.

It was the backbone of the economy and occupation of majority of the people.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources was re-organised and named Ministry of  Agriculture and Rural Development to reflect the hopes  and aspiration of the people and the declared social objectives of the UPN which controlled the government of the state.

The State Agricultural Development Project which the First Bank of Nigeria granted a loan of N4million which took off with the establishment of grain production centres at Osi, Orin and Aiyede where a total of 530 hectares of maize were planted.

Besides, the state government and the Federal Government have concluded negotiation and signed an agreement with  World  Bank for a loan of N50.5 million towards the execution of Ekiti/Akoko Agricultural Project designed to substantially increase food production in the state.

To improve the protein intake of the  people, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development completed three fish ponds at Akure, Ado-Ekiti and Ikare. Twenty out-board engines were also purchased  for distribution at a subsidized prices to fishermen in the riverine areas of the state.

Ondo state is the largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria. The Ministry of Agriculture stepped up its assistance to farmers through the Cocoa Development Unit (CDU) The Investment Corporation also planted a total of 52.4 hectares of a cocoa seedlings in a year.

The Oil Palm Samll Holders’ management Unite located at Okitipupa, established 500 hectares of oil palm seedlings in a year. Aiyesan N2.5million.

The pragmatic and progressive administration of Chief Ajasin commissioned the N995,549 crumb Rubber factory of Araromi Rubber Estate in Ifesowapo now Odigbo Local Government Area .

Man does not live by  bread alone. So, Ado-Ekiti Textile mill, almost  moribund, was  revived bt the midas’ touch of Ajasin administration.

It is noteworthy that, the amazing feats were replicated by the UPN state governors from Lagos to former Bendel State,  with niggardly allocations from the callous, paranoid and profligate NPN  federal administration which was all out to loot the treasury.

It is not the amount of money /fund that matters. If there is strong political will power, determination, discipline and industry to forge ahead inspite of the spanner recklessly thrown at the works.

The will of God shall be done for the material well being and welfare of the people

According to former Ondo State of Information under Adefarati led Alliance for Democracy, Chief Femi Aluko who raised grouse why  Nigerians still live on imported food.

He said “There is o ne type  of rice in Ilesa area which  Uncle Bola Ige as governor of old Oyo (1979-1983)encouraged that time. You won’t be surprised when Malaysia president came to Awolowo to borrow palm oil seedlings. “Today, Malaysia is the leading producers and exporter of palm oil in the world.

“There are lots of vegetation in the South West. What our governors are doing by not going corporate farming/agriculture. We  should be able to feed ourselves and at the same time be exporting the surplus.

“It is an insult on use to still be importing food items, like rice”, Aluko asserted,

The state Governors must take the bull  by the horns, accept the challenge alongside their state legislatures. They should as a matter of necessity and urgent need, invest massively in agriculture and agro-allied industries to ward  off food shortage and guaranteed food  security for our ever growing population highly traumatized y hunger, poverty and unemployment.

The land use decree, long ago, promulgated by the military regime had no doubt  undergone some processes of becoming Land Use Act enacted by the state Assembly in the parliament.

It is of utmost interest to galvanize the welfare and material well being of our people through the progressive deployment of Land Use Act , as promulgated in the state Legislature.