IN the modern world where challenges like hunger, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity continue to threaten the stability of nations, the age-old principle that “he who does not produce must not eat” holds even greater weight. This timeless truth apply not only to agriculture but to the very foundation of productivity in any form — be it goods, services, or innovation. Production is the lifeblood of human advancement, national development, and individual dignity.
On Friday, April 25, 2025, I was once again humbled to receive the prestigious African Man of the Year in Food Security Award — making me the only African to receive this award twice, having first been honoured in 2014. This recognition is more than a personal achievement; it is a reaffirmation of the significance of sustainable food production, self-reliance, and the ongoing pursuit of food security in Nigeria and across the continent. Through my initiatives — the ABUAD Agro-tourist Farm, the ABUAD 121-Industry Industrial Park, and various life-transforming empowerment schemes to which I have committed my life’s endeavour in this context to achieving the first two United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: No Poverty and Zero Hunger. These interventions also directly align with the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Hi-5 goals of Feed Africa and Industrialize Africa.
Impacts of food security and the power of production
Food security is not just an agricultural concern; it is a matter of national peace, economic stability, and long-term survival. According to UNICEF, over 25 million Nigerians are currently food insecure, with more than 12 million children suffering from malnutrition. These numbers are not just statistics but a reflection of the crisis threatening the fabric of our nation.
There is an African proverb that says, “When food is removed from poverty, poverty disappears.” However, the reverse is more terrifying and apparent in our current situation — lack of food leads to hunger, hunger leads to anger, anger fuels violence, and unchecked violence ultimately leads to war. Therefore, addressing food insecurity must be elevated to the level of national emergency. It is more dangerous than the banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes that dominate headlines, because it fuels all of them at their roots.
For decades, I have worked relentlessly to fight this scourge through education, innovation, and enterprise. I firmly believe that food production is not a rural activity relegated to a few but a national imperative involving everyone. To that end, the ABUAD Agro-tourist Farm stands as a beacon of excellence in modern, mechanized, and integrated farming systems. It proves that food production can be technologically advanced, economically viable, and socially empowering.
When a nation embraces the ethos that “he who does not produce must not eat”, it directly impacts its gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita income. Increased production means increased economic activities, higher national income, and improved standards of living. Nigeria, ranked among the countries with the highest poverty headcount by the World Bank, can reverse this trend by fostering a productivity-driven economy. If more citizens engage in food production and value-added services, the national GDP will rise, reducing poverty levels and elevating Nigeria’s global economic standing.
My agricultural and industrial initiatives
To ensure that food security is achieved in a sustainable way, I have gone beyond farming into the empowerment of future agriculturists. We enter into partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Africa Rice, we have trained, mentored, and provided startup capital to over 1,000 young people in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly, Ekiti State, Oyo State, Cotonou, and Togo. These young people are now thriving agribusiness entrepreneurs, feeding their communities and contributing to national development.
The Afe Babalola Agricultural Expo (ABAEX)instituted by me since 2013 has been instrumental in impacting thousands of farmers across all the Local Government Areas of Ekiti State, Nigeria by providing them access to agricultural innovations, quality inputs, technical training, funding opportunities, and reliable market linkages. I have invested hundreds of million Naira on the ABAEX project since inception in 2013. In addition, I co-hosted Nigeria’s first Forest Management and Reafforestation Training, with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Pan European Forest Certification (PEFC), an initiative that promotes green enterprise and environmental sustainability. Through this, participants have been educated on the wealth-creating potentials of forest-based economies while protecting our environment as well as provided them with seedlings to commence their forest management endeavours.
We believe that: he who does not produce or work must not eat. It is a moral and economic philosophy we actively practise at ABUAD. All our professors and academic staff are encouraged to cultivate backyard gardens. Many have gone further to request plots of farmland, which I have gladly granted. Our students, particularly those in the Bachelor of Agriculture programme, are not spectators. They are allocated arable land for demonstration farms and receive seed funding to pursue agribusinesses. This practical exposure is cultivating a new wave of young, capable food producers and Agro-innovators who are ready to feed Africa.
The industrialization of agriculture: ABUAD 121-Industry Industrial Park
While food production is essential, its value can be lost without adequate preservation, processing, and marketability. One of the greatest tragedies of African agriculture is the grave amount of food waste caused by the lack of basic storage and processing infrastructure. In response, I established the ABUAD 121-Industry Industrial Park, which currently houses thirteen (13) fully operational factories. These factories have revolutionized the way we handle agricultural produce. Perishable goods that would have rotted on farms due to poor logistics or inadequate preservation facilities are now being transformed into refined, synthesized and exportable products. This has not only reduced post-harvest losses but also enhanced wealth creation, improved local economies and increased Nigeria’s participation in international agricultural trade.
From fruit juices (Mango) and herbal products (Virucidine and AB-Mal) to processed cassava (Fufu), Yam (Poundo Yam) and Maize (Pap popularly called Ogi), grains (Rice), tomato and habanero pepper, poultry and dairy among many others, the ABUAD Industrial Park serves as a bridge between production and profitability. It is a model for how integrated systems of farming and industrialization can reposition Africa as a global leader in agri-business.
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Conclusion: There is dignity in labour
Let me end with this reaffirmation of truth: there is no place for laziness/slothfulness in a productive society. Every man, woman, and youth must produce something — a service, a good, an idea — that adds value to their community. There is dignity in labour, and without work, there is no entitlement to eat. Regardless of profession, background, or status, every citizen must contribute meaningfully to the society. The sacred responsibility of providing for one’s family should never be taken for granted. As the scriptures say, a man who cannot provide for his household is worse than an infidel.
I invite every Nigerian, every African, to rise to the call of productive citizenship. Let us build homes, communities, and nations where food security is guaranteed, where production is respected, and where every individual understands that the path to dignity and peace begins with purposeful work. It is through our collective productivity that we can build a prosperous, peaceful, and food-secure Africa.
Aare Afe Babalola, CON, OFR, SAN, LL.D (Lond.)
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