"Cars run on gas, machineries are powered by electricity, but food is the fuel of the body." - Kehinde Odubela
The 2015 food shortage in Venezuela, a major oil producer denegerated into serious social problems; smuggling, looting, protests that soon led to shootings and a near economic shutdown.
"Hundreds of people waited in line to buy food at a grocery store in Catia, a slum in western Caracas on June 11. Some arrived as early as 3 a.m. and waited more than eight hours before being told there was no more food available," The New York Times reported.
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| A woman with four of her five children standing by their broken refrigerator which contained their last food: a bag of corn flour and a bottle of vinegar. Photo credit: The New York Times. |
This is what happens when we do not pay attention to the production and sustenance of an indispensable factor in our lives; food.
Agriculture - the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products (Merriam-Webster) is the only solution to unavailability of food in every village, city and nations of the world.
This is why I love agriculture, a major contributor to the well-being of any society. Any society with little or no food will ultimately produce hungry people who are predisposed to all kinds of diseases. When there is scarcity of food, even hospitals are filled with people who need to use their medication but cannot get food for the drug to react on. The citizens are weak and unproductive.
The economy also will not be left out. Venezuela - in 2015 and beyond - experienced rampant inflation amidst lower oil prices and a recession which was heightened by the restriction on Dollar imports. It suggests the nation had not developed its agricultural sector well enough to produce her own food.
Nigerians have recently seen staggering food price increase, owing majorly to factors closely related to what played out in Venezuela. The oil boom of the 1970s shifted government focus from the sector that had for a long time driven the wheels of its economy. Oil prices have plummeted and the nation now has to revert to agriculture and other sectors for economic diversification.
Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote recently stated that Nigeria consumes 6.5 million tonnes of rice which costs over $2bn annually. The most part, however, comes through imports. Nigeria can keep this much in her economy if the government develops the agricultural sector. Private sector participation in this industry - like Dangote has decided to do - will also greatly improve the economy. Farmers will be largely profitable as their produce do not have to compete with imported ones.
Prosperous nations that are highly sought after are known to invest heavily in agriculture. They provide farmers with improved seeds, sponsor the latest technology and even subsidize staple foods. Food banks are also available to keep surplus food which are given to citizens for free.
I decided to invest in agriculture so I can play my part in fighting hunger, poverty, improve standard of living and tackle the spread of diseases. Cash crops will also improve foreign exchange when my produce are exported to be transformed into useful products.
More participation in this sector will greatly grow the local economy and possibly discourage dependence on the fast depleting oil reserves.
Our nations are blessed with fertile soils suitable for agriculture, agile men and women who can raise livestock, and the technology that can preserve the proceeds of our farms. You and I can stop world hunger.
This is why I love agriculture.
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