Importing grass seedlings bad for agric sector –Expert

The need for the federal government to empower farmers, support and patronise research institutes to enhance local production in the country has been stressed. A Professor of Crop Production and  former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Ilorin, Professor K .L. Ayorinde, stated this in an interview in Ilorin while speaking on the federal […]

The need for the federal government to empower farmers, support and patronise research institutes to enhance local production in the country has been stressed.
A Professor of Crop Production and  former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Ilorin, Professor K .L. Ayorinde, stated this in an interview in Ilorin while speaking on the federal government’s plan to import grass seeding for the proposed grazing reserves from Brazil.
He said the task of growing high valued grasses should be left to the agricultural research institutes and universities in the country, observing that doing otherwise could create additional burdens on the agric sector.
Prof. Oyerinde, however, endorsed the plan to establish grazing reserves in the country, describing it as “a step in the right direction”.
He said: “The government should look for ways of producing these things locally. We have many research institutes and we have many universities that we can give that responsibility to. We are in a hurry quite alright but we should hurry in the right direction. So, I don’t think it is the best to be importing grass seedlings.”
He also emphasised that patronising and supporting agriculture research institutes in the country would boost research and enhance local production “rather than taking our resources to international importation.”
The expert called on the federal government to empower small-scale farmers as part of measures to enhance food security in the country.
“Until we are able to produce locally, we cannot be food secured. As long as we depend on importation from other countries to assist us, we are not just food insecure we are also not secure politically,” he said.