An Agriculturist, Prof. David Daramola, has attributed the pervading food shortage and hunger in the country to neglect of agriculture for several years.
Daramola stated this in an interview with the Nigerian NewsDirect shortly after delivering a lecture at the Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Ibadan on Tuesday.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the lecture, entitled: “Existence and Contributions of FCA to the Nigerian Agricultural Development,” was part of activities marking the centenary anniversary of the college.
Daramola traced the problem to the mid-1970s when there was sole reliance on oil in spite of admonitions from some eminent Nigerians that development of agriculture should be prioritised.
He, however, said that the challenge of food insecurity could be surmounted if the present government could give agriculture its deserved attention.
Don called on Government and other relevant authorities to encourage farmers through provision of conducive environment.
Daramola, who was the provost of the college between 1991 and 2000, further called for provision of storage facilities, such as silos, to tackle the challenges of food security in the country.
He, however, expressed happiness with the transformations that had taken place in the college in the 100 years of its existence.
Daramola noted that the institution started with zero infrastructure, as it was a unit of the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
He said that since inception, the college had trained thousands of eminent agriculturists, many of whom, he said, had worked in both national and international agricultural institutions as extension agents, researchers and lecturers.
Don urged management to commit more time and intellect to the development of the college, which he described as “a priceless national property that must be managed with extreme caution.”
In her address of welcome, Provost of the college, Dr Elizabeth Augustus, attributed the height attained by the institution to hard work and commitment on the part of the previous and present managements.
Augustus called on members of staff and students of the school to keep on striving to further lift the college to greatness.