Peter Obi Calls for Urgent Agricultural Revolution in Nigeria, Declares Hunger a Man-Made Crisis

 

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party and ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has once again reignited a crucial conversation around food insecurity in Africa, asserting that the continent has no business grappling with hunger. Speaking during a courtesy visit to media mogul and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Dele Momodu, in Lagos, Obi underscored Africa’s vast agricultural potential and lamented its underutilization.

According to Obi, the combination of Africa's expansive landmass and a burgeoning youth population positions the continent to not only feed itself but also emerge as a global food hub. He stressed that with more than 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa holds a unique and powerful key to ending global hunger — yet remains one of the hungriest continents due to poor governance and lack of strategic investment.

Echoing his consistent advocacy for improved governance and people-centric policies, Obi emphasized that the hunger crisis across Nigeria and other African countries is not rooted in lack of resources but in leadership failure and misdirected priorities.

Africa, he noted, is the second-largest continent in terms of landmass, covering over 30 million square kilometers. Despite this, agricultural output remains significantly low compared to other regions with far less arable land. He called attention to the paradox that Africa, which boasts the world’s largest youth population—over one billion young people—remains shackled by poverty and food insecurity.

“Why should a continent so richly endowed still be suffering from hunger?” Obi queried, drawing a striking contrast between Africa’s rice production and that of countries like Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh, with a total land area of approximately 148,000 square kilometers—less than 0.5% the size of Africa—produces over 55 million tonnes of rice annually. This figure starkly contrasts with Africa’s collective output of 26 million tonnes. Even more telling, India, which is only about one-tenth the size of Africa, produces five times more rice than the entire continent.

Such statistics, Obi argued, expose the structural inefficiencies that plague the continent’s agricultural sector. He pointed to the urgent need for transformative leadership and deliberate investments in critical areas such as agriculture, education, infrastructure, and technology.

“The land is not the problem, and the people are not the problem. What Africa lacks is citizen-focused leadership that channels resources into meaningful development,” Obi stated during the discussion.

He went on to explain that Africa should not merely aim to be self-sufficient in food production but should aspire to export agricultural products globally, creating jobs, strengthening economies, and reducing dependence on imports.

His call for action was clear: Africa must initiate an agricultural revolution, driven not by top-down political rhetoric but by inclusive, citizen-led governance. Such leadership, he emphasized, should be anchored in policies that elevate the welfare of the people and empower the continent’s youth to participate actively in food production.

Obi’s remarks come at a time when many African nations, including Nigeria, are grappling with soaring food prices, declining agricultural productivity, and rising unemployment. His advocacy aligns with growing concerns from experts and civil society leaders who have long decried the region's failure to capitalize on its agricultural endowments.

Through his visit and ensuing statements, Peter Obi continues to position himself as a voice for transformative leadership and sustainable development in Africa, advocating for a future where hunger is no longer a feature of African life, but a relic of a mismanaged past.

Ultimately, he urged political and civil leaders across the continent to redirect their focus towards long-term investments that will empower communities, build food systems, and unlock Africa’s vast potential—not just for survival, but for global leadership in food production.