The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has urged the governors of the six states in the South-West region to inject at least 15 percent of their annual budget into agriculture to provide sustainable food production for the region.

He spoke on Friday during a meeting over the recent protest and strike by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN), leading to the blockade of food items from the North to the South.

Gani Adams
He advised South-West governors to adopt the model and expertise employed by Rwanda to transform its agricultural sector.

According to him, investment in agriculture will provide food security, employment, improve IGR, reduce urban congestion, and help farmers build capacity to achieve more productivity through mechanised farming.

He said, “It is embarrassing for the North to threaten our region with an unwarranted blockade that is of no use to us. I have it on good record that the South spends over N8 billion daily on cow consumption.

“It is an embarrassment for the North to think that they are doing the South a favour. I also have figures of the several billions of naira we spend daily on perishable products, but the truth is that the blockade that had been suspended now seemed to be a blessing for us because it will trigger an agricultural revolution in the South-West that will definitely change the ugly narratives of the past.

“So, I think it is the responsibility of all the South-West governors to swiftly respond to this threat and seek a better approach to enhance both small and large scale farming across the region and further strengthen the security architecture of the region.”

Source:- Sahara Reporters