AFAN: Nigeria’s return to agriculture is driven…

Nigeria’s renewed focus on agriculture is a reaction to falling oil revenues, not a deliberate plan for food security, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria has said.

AFAN Otunba Secretary General Dr. Babafemi Oke, speaking on _Sabenko_, a Yoruba language public affairs program on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, said the country abandoned agriculture after the oil boom and is only “going back” as crude oil sales collapse.

“Nigeria started with agriculture. The green in our flag represents agriculture, the white for peace, and the second green also for agriculture. But once oil came, we didn’t pay attention to it,” Oke said. “When fuel started to float, the government had to go back to agriculture during Buhari’s tenure. Thank God, we tried.”

He said progress has been made, but change remains reactive. Past administrations, awash in oil revenues, failed to sustain investment in the sector, leaving it underdeveloped for decades.

● The North leads, the South-West wakes up

Oke pointed out regional gaps in participation. Northern states maintain a stronger commitment thanks to consistent government support, while the South West is only recently showing improvement.

“A few years ago, here in the South West we used to complain that they didn’t bring the regular tomatoes and scotch bonnet. But now people are waking up from their slumber. We are grateful to the farmers here who take the issue seriously in Yoruba land,” he said.

The disengagement of young people remains a major obstacle. “You will see young people who have studied and graduated in agriculture saying they want to work in banks, in oil companies. We are campaigning and talking to parents that if we don’t involve our children in the work they know, such work will vanish. But thank God we are already seeing a huge difference,” Oke said.

● Women hindering production

AFAN credits women and grassroots farmers for sustaining production, especially in the Southwest, despite limited access to resources.

“Our youth are already engaging in this, even mothers. That’s why when we want to make law, we put theirs first before adding that of the youth,” Oke said. “We are also talking to the government: what about our women in agriculture who are doing wonderful work? We need to give them incentives – maybe they want to borrow money or sell something. We should set aside theirs. We are happy that our efforts are not wasted.”

● Land, subsidies and inputs

Access to land remains a constraint. AFAN now negotiates with governments and traditional rulers to repurpose unused land for agriculture through leasing agreements. Oke cited Lagos State, where large tracts have been secured for agriculture, leading to cluster cropping systems.

“We talk to the baale, the king or the chiefs: let’s give this land to the government or borrow it and pay little by little. It’s not that we want to collect it permanently. In the last 15 years, we have noticed a huge difference,” he said.

On inputs, Oke commended the ongoing subsidies under the Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund. “If it costs ₦5,000, they will give us ₦2,500 and the farmers are really happy with the development.”

He said President Bola Tinubu recently convened AFAN for the distribution of fertilizers under the Renewed Hope Agenda. “The government has allocated 3,040 bags to each state through the NADF.”

● Fuel prices drive food inflation

Oke linked the surge in food prices directly to transportation costs. “If we don’t have vehicles to transport the harvested produce and we rent them, the drivers ask us prices higher than the profit we make. Tell me, why don’t we sell at a higher price?”

He added: “You see how much we sell eggs for. Since I was born, this is the first time I have seen a crate of eggs selling for ₦5,000.”

AFAN’s position is clear: Nigeria is starting to farm again because oil has failed, not because politics has succeeded. Women and smallholders are closing the gap. But without a strategy – on young people, on land and on logistics – necessity alone will not be enough to feed 220 million people.

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