COVID-19: Obasanjo seeks increased food production in Africa to check looming food crisis

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised African leaders to intensify efforts at improving agriculture in their respective countries in order to meet the challenges of post COVID-19 looming food crisis.

Obasanjo gave the advice at the flag-off of his fish farming project constructed inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, on Monday.

It was reported that about 50,000 pieces of fingerlings, mainly catfish and tilapia species, were released for acclimatisation and growth inside the large pond.

Obasanjo said that the project was the result of “his thinking out of the box over what is next after the novel coronavirus pandemic and its implications for the African region’’.

“I think we have to take the issue of post COVID-19 seriously.

“I believe most African governments have to find how to be self-sufficient in essential food items to enable them check the effects of the food crisis likely to be experienced after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I don’t think most African countries have gone as far as they should go into food production during this year.’’

He, therefore, advised African governments to embark on massive food production as part of measures to prepare for the post COVID-19 pandemic in the continent.

“There may be food problem in the continent after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Hence, we must think out of the box to get this solved now because food must be made available,’’ Obasanjo said.