Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu this weekend, said food importation in Nigeria will soon be a thing of the past.
Onu, while paying a familiarisation visit to the Biotechnology and Resource Development Centre (BIODEC) in Bayelsa State, said the nation was well endowed to produce its own food and also export to other countries.
Here’s what the minister said during the familiarisation visit:
“One legacy President Muhammadu Buhari wants to be remembered for is to ensure that the Nigerian state produces enough food resources to feed herself without depending on other nations for food security.
“President Buhari strongly believes that if a country like China with a population of over 1.4 billion can provide food security for her citizens through mechanised farming, Nigeria with less than 200 million people could do same.”
“No nation has ever been great without science and technology and Nigeria can never be an exception.”
Since the coming of the Buhari Administration, most states have started to focus more on agriculture as a means of generating better revenue and making their state self-sufficient.
An example of this is the Lagos State Government partnering with the Government Gombe State, in rice production.
This will certainly reduce importation and smuggling of rice into Nigeria, it will be cheaper to purchase (according to Governor Ambode of Lagos) and will be readily available throughout the state.
