Dr Awoteim George, Head, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Environment, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, has called on the Federal Government to find a permanent solution to the Farmers/Herdsmen crisis.
George told reporters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country constituted a setback to agriculture.
He said the campaign for food sufficiency and food security in the country would fail if the crisis continued unabated.
George noted that farmers were no longer feeling secured to go to their farms for fear of being attacked by the herdsmen.
He added that the crops would grow well if adequate attention was given to them.
He said the country’s population was increasing daily, while the demand for food was also increasing.
The don appealed to the federal and state governments to assist farmers to achieve food sufficiency and food security in the country.
He said this could be achieved through soft loans to farmers and supply of agricultural inputs at subsidised prices.
The lecturer also encouraged rich Nigerians to invest in the agricultural sector.
He commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Generals Theophilus Danjuma and Abudusalam Abubakar (Rtd) for investing in agriculture and appealed to other rich Nigerians to borrow a leaf from them.
