‘We Must Produce What We Eat’ - President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari said
Thursday in Abuja that his
administration will vigorously
implement policies that will revive
Nigeria’s agricultural sector, stressing
that Nigerians must produce what they
eat as the county can no longer fund
importation.
Speaking at an audience with the new
Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr.
Vesselin Blagoer Delcher, President
Buhari said that his administrationwill
evolve and implement policies that will
help Nigeria become self-sufficient in
food production because continued
importation of food could expose the
country to more external shocks.
The President noted that the unbridled
importation of food also contributes to
the depletion of the country’s foreign
reserves and deprives citizens of job
opportunities.
‘‘We must produce what we eat. We
don’t have unlimited resources to
continue the importation of food items
that can be produced locally.
“Fortunately, some Nigerians have
shown foresight by building factories
that process agricultural products within
the country.
‘‘They have created a value chain that
boosts employment, protects our
foreign reserves and safeguards the
economy from external shocks.
“We will do all that we can to encourage
others to join in the effort to achieve
national self-sufficiency in food
production,” President Buhari said.
The President said that his
administration will also help and
encourage Nigerian farmers to adopt
modern, technology-driven methods
that guarantee higher production and
returns on investment.
President Buhari, who also received Mr.
Paul Lehmann, the new High
Commissioner of Australia, Hajiya Afsatu
Olayinka Ebiso-Kabba, the new High
Commissioner of Sierra-Leone and
Thordur Aegir Oskarsson, the new
Ambassador of Iceland, told them that
Nigeria will welcome the further
strengthening of relations with their
countries, especially in the areas of
agriculture, solid minerals and trade.
The President wished the four envoys,
who were at the Presidential Villa to
present their letters of credence to him,
very successful tenures in Nigeria.