By Esther Onyegbula

The Managing Director Xtralage farms and resorts, apracticing farmer, agribusiness advocate, Dr. Moji Davids, has warned that Nigeria’s push to diversify its economy through agriculture will remain largely ineffective unless the Federal Government urgently tackles insecurity in food-producing regions and commits to practical, youth-driven reforms in the sector.

Speaking during a recent interview on Arise TV’s news day programme on the nation’s diversification efforts, Davids said the biggest threat to agricultural growth is the growing insecurity across key food basket states, where farmers are increasingly unable to access their farmlands due to attacks by bandits and insurgents.

“How safe can you be going to the farm when you know you may not return?” she asked. “Security is not something private individuals can fix. Only the government can address this. Until farm communities feel protected, all these conversations about agriculture will not translate into real impact.”

Davids criticised what she described as a lack of seriousness at both national and community levels, noting that for decades, Nigeria has repeated calls for diversification without matching them with consistent action.

“The problem is not whether Nigeria has land,” she said. “We have massive arable land. The problem is that we are not putting it to effective use. Countries smaller than us are doing far more with agriculture.”

According to her, the country continues to operate predominantly at a subsistence level, far from the mechanised and technology-driven agriculture needed to support economic recovery.

She stressed that sustainable progress hinges on attracting young people, who make up more than 60 percent of the population, into the sector. But this requires changing the long-standing perception of farming as dirty, poor-paying work for those with no other options.

“You can’t hand cutlasses and hoes to today’s youth and expect them to join agriculture,” she argued. “We have to make it attractive, innovative and technologically driven.”

Davids called for massive training programmes, practical farm-based education rather than classroom lectures, and creative initiatives such as agritourism to draw youth interest.

While commending recent federal efforts to provide funding and support agribusinesses, she said the impact remains limited because grassroots communities, where most farming occurs , are still largely left behind.

Davids cited a recent win at the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit, where a young agro-processor working to reduce tomato post-harvest losses secured a ₦250 million investment, as evidence that youth-led agribusiness can thrive if supported.

“That is the type of platform young people need to see that agriculture is viable,” she said.

Davids cautioned that despite recurring policy promises, Nigeria remains stuck in small-time agricultural practices, a situation worsened by inadequate rural infrastructure and limited access to modern tools.

“In those days, we had large-scale farming and the groundnut pyramids. Today, we are still battling subsistence farming instead of mechanisation,” she noted.

The agribusiness expert urged the Federal Government to prioritise security in farming regions, secure roads leading to farmlands, and ensure farmers feel protected enough to produce food without fear.

She added that any meaningful diversification effort must combine government policies with community-level awareness, innovation, and youth-focused programmes.

“We’ve talked about diversification for years. Now is the time to act,” she said.

Nigeria’s renewed focus on agriculture comes as global oil markets face increasing volatility, making the sector a critical pathway for economic stability. But experts warn that without coordinated reforms, improved security and genuine political will, the country risks losing momentum in its transition from oil dependency to sustainable agricultural development.