By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Experts in agriculture, security and from the banking sector have said in Kaduna that there would be no National Security without food security, and called on citizens, particularly the youthful generation to key into agriculture and contribute in making Nigeria self sufficient.

“There can never be national security without food security, if you do not have food security your national security is compromised.That was the reason advanced countries of the world such as the USA,spend a lot of money as subsidy to their farmers,” they said.

The experts spoke at a function organised by FalGates Rice Company Kaduna, where they deliberated on Nigeria’s great population and how the nation would benefit from the opportunities that abound, on agriculture.

Experts estimate that Nigeria’s population could rise to over 300 million by 2030.

“Currently despite all the efforts in agriculture, Nigeria is spending about 6.5 billion Dollars annually in exporting food.We are only about 210 million people….so it means that in another 7 years we’ve to spend about 13 billion Dollars per annum to import food, unless we do something to prevent that.”

They said one of the solutions was harnessing the very vibrant youthful population that Nigeria has,for agricultural purposes since many youths today were beginning to have interest in agriculture.

The experts however,admonished the youths to be passionate about agriculture to have a genuine interest in the sector by willing to work hard and endure, not only wishing to get into the business so that they would become like Dangote or Sadiq Falalu of Falgate Rice, overnight.

” I think that our mindset is focused towards immediate gratification, there is no immediate gratification in agriculture…yes you can make a lot of money but it’s not something that you go in today and you become a multi millionaire tomorrow….the average time is between 7 to 10 years.You have to understand that you need to work,you need to be patient and you’ve to understand the value of delayed gratification…..wait for the benefit to grow.”

On what’s required before the youths could venture into agriculture, they said money was not necessarily the basic requirement,and shouldn’t be a discouraging factor…

One of the experts and a banker,said it was not easy to be in business especially agriculture. He advised the youths who have good ideas and business proposals in venturing into the sector to seek for collaboration with banks, some even non interest, and have a good start in agriculture.

The traditional ruler from the host community where Falgate Rice was situated, Sarkin Sobawa Abdulrahaman Nasir ,harped on the importance of corporate social responsibility on the part of firms particularly those in rural communities, insisting that they could be veritable tools in reducing youth unemployment and making like much better to the rural folks.

Speakers at the occasion such as Air Commodore Yahaya Olawale( Rtd),Alhaji Umar Umar,Usman Lawal, among others, were of the view that agriculture should be given the needed priority it deserved as the sector has the capacity to turn the fortunes of Nigeria for overall growth and development.