President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday declared

that his administration would construct additional

400 dams to boost irrigation across the country

before the expiration of his term in 2019.

He also revealed that Nigeria’s population doubles

itself every 25 years, stressing that this was why

the government had decided to focus on revamping

agriculture and solid mineral sectors.

Buhari disclosed this to delegates from Africa and

other continents at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the

Food Crisis Prevention Network which was held in

Abuja.

The President said the government had started

implementing measures to expand the production of

grains and other agricultural produce in Nigeria,

adding that the country would start experiencing

three harvesting seasons when more dams become

operational in the next two years.

Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of

Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu

Ogbeh, said, “We can no longer rely on rainfall, we

have to create more dams, water reservoirs and

insist on harvesting food at least three times in a

year.

“I am happy to tell you that that programme is

being designed and in the next two and half years

we shall add to the existing 200 dams at least

another 400 dams across the country to encourage

irrigation on a large scale.”

On Nigeria’s increasing population, he said the

number of citizens across the country might hit 500

million by 2050 and that there was the need to plan

how to feed the nation when its population gets to

that level.

Buhari said, “We are not unmindful of our huge

population here, hence the need to urgently ensure

that the agricultural sector is revitalised as soon as

possible. Our population here doubles every 25

years. Estimates are that by 2050 Nigeria will be in

the region of 450 to 500 million persons, making

us the third most populated country on planet earth

coming after China and India.

“The question, therefore is, how do you feed 500

million people with hoes and cutlasses as their

tools for agricultural development? However, we are

proud to say that we are currently achieving a lot.

This year, the harvest of grains in Nigeria has been

absolutely exceptional as other African countries

have been coming here in search of grains.”

The President noted that the poor handling of

agriculture by government had contributed to the

depletion of the country’s foreign reserves, as

Nigeria spends $22bn annually on food imports.

“Our failure to restore agriculture in the face of

crisis in the North-East has increased the

percentage of food imports and caused a severe

reduction in our foreign reserves. Africa is said to

spend $35bn annually on importing food. Of that

amount Nigeria accounts for $22bn and there is no

need for this, because presently Africa has no

excuse of not being able to feed itself,” he added.

This, he said, had warranted a renewed focus by the

present government to revamp agriculture and solid

minerals development, to revive the economy and

make it an export-driven one capable of sustaining

prosperity for the masses.

Buhari added that it was high time African countries

stopped the importation of harmful foods from other

continents as most of these items were toxic and

cause health challenges based on findings by an

agency in Nigeria.

He said, “Our National Agency for Food Drug

Administration and Control have had reason to

analyse certain products not originating in West

Africa but imported into West Africa and then into

Nigeria to be of extremely harmful effect in the diet

of our people. Too many of our people are dying of

new diseases as a result of this.

“We are therefore making an appeal to all of us in

the sub region to do what we can to make sure that

nothing harmful comes in through our borders.”

The President also urged African countries to

change the method of cattle breeding on the

continent, as he stated that there was need to stop

the roaming of cattle in order to forestall conflicts

between herdsmen and farmers.

source : Punch newspaper.