Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed the increasing incidents of banditry and kidnappings in Nigeria to the prevailing unemployment rate in the country. Speaking at the 9th International Trade Exhibition & Conference on Agrofood, Plastics, Printing, and Packaging in Lagos, Obasanjo emphasized the importance of providing employment opportunities to curb such criminal activities.
He stressed that addressing unemployment would lead to improved security, as many individuals currently involved in criminal activities are not gainfully employed. According to Obasanjo, promoting agribusiness is crucial for achieving food security, nutrition security, employment generation, wealth creation, poverty eradication, and income generation, including foreign exchange.
Obasanjo, who described himself as 'a mad man for agriculture,' highlighted the need to ensure food availability, affordability, and accessibility for all Nigerians. He emphasized the importance of reducing food wastage, which currently accounts for almost 40% of the country's food production, in achieving food and nutrition security through agribusiness.
The former president noted that encouraging more young people to embrace agriculture is crucial for curbing youth emigration, unemployment, and insecurity. He called for policymakers to provide consistent policies that support farmers' long-term planning and advocated for single-digit loans for farmers to enhance profitability in agribusiness. Obasanjo also emphasized the need to make agriculture more appealing and lucrative to attract youths who are currently more interested in the entertainment industry.
