The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, says food insecurity remains a big threat to Nigeria.

Obi said solving the problem of food insecurity in Nigeria, which according to him will help to eradicate hunger and combat food inflation, should top governance priority.

The former governor of Anambra State stressed that the worsening level of inflation in the country is occasioned by the obvious abandonment of agriculture resulting in food insecurity.

The LP standard bearer said these during a visit to the headquarters of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, January 29, 2024.

Obi, who described agriculture as a critical sector in Nigeria’s economy and should not be neglected, said: “Our obvious neglect of agriculture is the cause of hunger and food insecurity, resulting in the high food inflation rate we have today.

“Lack of investment in agriculture has resulted in the high level of hunger and poverty in the country today.

READ ALSO: Obi faults N5bn student loan, N6bn for lawmakers’ car park in 2024 budget

“In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranked 109th out of the 125 countries measured, showing a serious hunger level in the nation. Our food inflation rate is currently at 33 per cent, signifying that more concerted efforts need to be made in moving our nation from consumption to production, in the agricultural sector.”

He stated that aside from achieving food security, Nigeria could earn huge foreign exchange from agriculture, saying: “I have maintained consistently that Nigeria could earn more from agriculture than it presently earns from oil.

“I have also said that the biggest assets of our nation are the vast uncultivated lands in the North. If we invest in agriculture and fully explore our fertile lands, we will not only end hunger and eradicate poverty but drive down inflation and earn huge amounts of foreign exchange through agricultural exports.

“Our mission remains to move Nigeria from consumption to production as this will help us to achieve the New and productive Nigeria of our dreams.”

Obi, however, expressed his appreciation to the management and staff of IITA for what he described as their very significant contributions to Nigeria’s agricultural sector, especially in ensuring higher agricultural productivity.

The Star