It is time we go back to farming - Aregbesola

https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Aregbesola-Flags-of-Osun-Hybrid-Cucumber-Production-4.jpg

Aregbesola flags off Osun Hybrid Cucumber Production- 4 Governor State of Osun, ‎Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right ); Chairman Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) Management Committee, Barrister Femi Faturoti (right), OYES Commandante, Colonel Eni ‘Ibukun Oyewole (rtd), (left), and Commissioner for Education, Mr Wasiu Omotunde-young (2nd left), during the first harvest of hybrid cucumber, sweet potatoes and other farm produce being cultivated by the OYES volunteers, at Ilesa, State of Osun on Saturday 19-08-2017. PHOTO: NAN

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State , has said that it is high time for Nigeria to go back to farming to sustain itself, saying a time would come when the nation would be left with no other option than agriculture.

Aregbesola said this while inspecting 40 acres of farmland owned by the state in Ilesha area. Similar farmlands have been created in all the 24 Local Government Areas.

Aregbesola said government at all levels must do whatever it can to boost food production in the country.

“As we all know, food and shelter are too essential for the survival of humanity and no serious government will trivialise the need to encourage agriculture, particularly at a time when the value of crude oil is progressively sliding into zero.

“It has been brought into public knowledge that in the next 20 years, it will be practically impossible to import food, not because there won’t be money to do so, but there won’t be food to import.

“So, to prevent this unforeseen circumstantial uncertainty, then it is time to go into massive food production capable of making us self sufficient and as well encouraging surplus for export.

“Our major economic product, crude oil, will soon become unpopular as it is evident that in the next 25 years, there will no longer be a serious automobile company that will be producing petroleum powered vehicles.

“The major buyers of Nigeria’s crude oil have declared that by 2030, petroleum powered automobiles will no longer be produced.

” And what this implies is that, petroleum will become an ordinary commodity, and not a money making commodity as we have it now.”

Aregbesola said the farmland was cultivated to make the state to be self sufficient in food production and as well make Osun the food basket of Western Nigeria.

He said the initiative was also aimed at fighting the scourge of irregular farming by encouraging modern agriculture practices through irrigation.

He commended volunteers of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) on their efforts in maintaining the farmland.