Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, Vice-chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), has called on the federal government to remove all obstacles hindering farmers from accessing their lands.
This, he said, will enable the country to resume food production and tackle the prevailing hunger and high cost of food.
“Agricultural lands must be combed and all encumbrances removed to enable people to go back to their farms and grow food,” Prof. Iwe emphasized.
He attributed the current food insecurity to the inaccessibility of farm lands due to terrorist activities, which have led to the killing of many farmers, destruction of crops, and abandonment of farm lands.
Prof. Iwe also advocated for the adoption of smart agriculture, which involves cultivating crops in gardens around homes to make food readily available.
He stressed that Nigerians must reduce their reliance on foreign foods and focus on producing what they eat.
Meanwhile, Prof. Iwe expressed concerns over the proposed conversion of MOUAU from a specialized to a conventional university, stating that it would have negative consequences.
Instead, he suggested that Abia State needs another federal university to complement MOUAU’s mandate.
