By Milcah Tanimu
Akin Olotu, an agriculture expert and former Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture and Agribusiness to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, has issued a stark warning that Nigeria’s food crisis is expected to persist for an extended period.
Speaking at the annual lecture series of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Akure, Olotu attributed the ongoing crisis to economic instability, insecurity, and climate change. He emphasized the urgent need for government action to address pest infestations and other threats to agricultural productivity.
Olotu criticized the lack of responsiveness from agricultural research institutes, which, he claimed, have failed to provide timely warnings and support to farmers. He reaffirmed the United Nations’ prediction that by 2030, up to 82 million Nigerians—approximately 64 percent of the population—may face hunger.
“The current climatic conditions are not conducive to farming,” Olotu warned. “Immediate action is necessary to prevent further deterioration of the food crisis.”
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to set specific targets for state and local governments to improve agricultural outputs. Olotu highlighted the collapse of Nigeria’s poultry industry as a significant concern.
Further, he urged Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to allocate 24 percent of the state’s 2025 budget to agriculture to boost food production. Olotu praised the late Akeredolu’s efforts in the ‘Red Gold’ revolution, which saw the cultivation of 87,000 hectares of oil palm—short of the 100,000-hectare target but creating over 30,000 jobs.
“Ondo State has a natural advantage in tree crops,” Olotu said. “Despite achieving significant progress, there is still a heavy reliance on imported oil palm. A unified and strategic approach is essential to overcoming the food shortage. We need to plan effectively and set clear objectives for the future.”
