Dr. Philips Nto, the Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABIC) at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), has called for aggressive farming by all adult Nigerians as a key strategy to address the country’s growing food insecurity challenges.
He emphasized the need for Nigerians to “farm what they eat and eat what they farm” to mitigate the existential threat posed by food shortages.
Speaking during a meeting with local farmers at his office, Dr. Nto encouraged Nigerians to engage in home farming, cultivating basic food crops such as vegetables, yam, and cassava. He highlighted that his centre has been actively educating Nigerians on home farming techniques to meet their individual food needs.
Dr. Nto, a former World Bank consultant, also expressed his support for the initiative launched by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which encourages Nigerians to grow gardens in their homes. He stated that this initiative aligns perfectly with ABIC’s philosophy, which is also promoted through radio programs and hands-on training activities.
“I believe the First Lady has blazed the trail for Nigerians. ABIC has also been propagating the same message through various outreach programs,” Dr. Nto said.
Dr. Nto, who is also a former Commissioner for Finance in Abia State, noted that with the vast amount of arable land and abundant human resources available in Nigeria, there should be no excuse for hunger.
He stressed that while the government must provide an enabling environment for mechanized and commercial farming, the majority of Nigerians can grow their own food at home.
To further encourage agricultural growth, ABIC plans to organize competitions among farmers in various communities and local government areas.
Dr. Nto shared that, in his own community of Ututu, he has established an annual award for the best male and female farmers, with a cash prize of N1 million to motivate local farmers.
“We aim to partner with notable agribusiness giants to sponsor such competitions at the state level,” he added.
Dr. Nto also commended MOUAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, for providing the necessary support for the success of ABIC. He praised the farmers for their visit to ABIC, stating that it allowed them to see firsthand the resources and opportunities available.
During the visit, Chief Ogba Nwokoro, the leader of the farmers, commended Dr. Nto for his effective leadership of ABIC.
He highlighted that the people of Abia State have greatly benefited from the educational radio programs offered by ABIC and encouraged the director to expand these efforts by reaching remote areas to further spread the message of agricultural empowerment.
Nwokoro, a retired Permanent Secretary in Abia State, expressed satisfaction with the knowledge gained from the visit and praised ABIC’s efforts to promote agriculture throughout the region.
