Nigerians and Imo people are currently groaning under the burden of daily soaring prices of food items in the market.
Prices of almost all food staples which were affordable by the poorest of the poor few years back, have gone through the roof and out of their reach.
A few years ago, garri was a cheap and affordable food stuff and because of that, virtually everyone could afford it. But, today it is no longer the case, as it has spiralled beyond the reach of the poor. A paint measurement now goes for as high as one thousand four hundred naira, N1.400, while one cup sells for one hundred naira, N100.
Beans, rice yam, tomato, fish and beef to mention a few are also very costly and unaffordable for the country’s mostly poor majority.
The ugly situation on our hands today is largely a product of worsening insecurity in the country. The thirty six states in the country, especially those in the Northern region are in the grip of overwhelming insecurity which has lead to loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and property.
Needless to say that farmers have been among victims of violent attacks and killings by Bandits, Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram. Now and then, farmers are slaughtered in their farms across the country and to escape being murdered as their colleagues other farmers have completely abandoned their farms and ran for their dear lives.
The direct consequence of that disturbing situation has been poor productivity and attendant shortage of consumable agriculture produce. Of course, declining agricultural productivity in key food producing states of the Middle Belt and core North will naturally give rise to upsurge in food prices.
And because Imo and other South East States largely get their food from the insecurity ravaged states, it should not be a surprise seeing them feel the heat arising from depressed production.
This is exactly what is happening at the moment.
However, in line with the Igbo maxim “.Mgberede yiri dike, Mgberede ka eji amadike”, adversity weighs down a man, and also proves his worth ” many concerned citizens have thought South East States and particularly Imo should have taken steps to turn the current adverse situation into opportunity.
Indeed, the popular wish n Imo for sometime now has been that the present adminstration should start prioritizing agriculture. To all intents and purposes that is a reasonable and justified thought because prior to the advent of oil economy agriculture was the major foreign exchange earner for Eastern Nigeria.
In fact, according to history as at 1964 under Dr Micheal Okpara Eastern Nigeria was ranked the fastest growing economy in the world ahead of Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. That mercurial run was made possible by agriculture and attendant industrialization.
Sadly, that positive run was truncated by the advent of oil economy and worsened by a trajectory of vision less leadership which has refused to go away.
Amid declining monthly allocation and growing hunger caused by high food costs, one is seriously persuaded that there is no better time than now to start investing substantially in agriculture in view of its assured and proven capacity to unleash growth, development and prosperity.
Gov Hope Uzodinma adminstration should immediately design and implement an agricultural roadmap to catalyse the resurgence of that critical sector.
This is the task he should direct his energy and state resources towards to halt the slow and steady daily rise of hunger and famine in Imo.
Apparently, danger is looming in the horizon and since it is crystal clear that the only remedy to it is returning to agriculture since its massive potential can more than guarantee food security, creation large job opportunities as well as bring in badly needed foreign exchange to drive growth and development.