Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Phillips Nto, has raised concern over the lack of serious attention to agriculture by both the federal and state governments.
Drawing insight from an assessment of the midterm performance of President Bola Tinubu and the 36 state governors, Nto observed that agriculture is clearly not at the centre of current development strategies across the country.
He described the neglect as a missed opportunity in a time of growing hunger, insisting that governments at all levels must urgently channel more resources and policies toward food production.
Nto emphasised that no matter the number of paved roads or bridges delivered, they cannot replace the immediate need for affordable food on the tables of ordinary Nigerians.
The ABIC boss acknowledged that while infrastructural efforts, especially in road construction, have seen moderate progress, they can only be fully appreciated when people have food to eat.
He pointed out that with the rising cost of food items, citizens are far more concerned about feeding their families than accessing new roads or public structures.
Nto, who once served as Commissioner for Finance in Abia State, argued that the current hunger crisis should compel a rethink in governance priorities.
He noted that agriculture offers not just food security but also economic expansion if governments take deliberate steps to fund the sector and its value chains.
According to him, investing in agriculture yields double the benefits it curbs inflation and provides a steady revenue stream.
He expressed worry that many states appear more focused on projects that deliver quick financial returns, rather than long-term sustainable growth through agriculture. This approach, he said, amounts to placing secondary interests above the people’s basic needs.
In response to government strategies that rely on importing food to lower prices, Nto said such measures are temporary and harmful to local producers.
Instead of shipping in food from abroad, he advised that the government should consider importing modern farming equipment to support local farmers and boost productivity.
He also called for broader efforts in value addition to farm produce as a means of tackling food shortages and reviving the economy.
He further called on Nigerians to actively support the drive for food sufficiency by embracing farming in any available capacity.
Nto said ABIC is contributing to this goal through public awareness campaigns on modern farming methods and by distributing improved seedlings to local farmers.
He concluded that if Nigeria is serious about achieving food security and economic development, then agriculture must no longer be treated as a sideline issue. It deserves to be at the heart of national and state development plans.
