Let’s consume what we produce to save economy —Aregbesola

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, on Thursday, called on Nigerians to curb their excessive appetite for foreign foods and fabrics by consuming what we produce to save the nation’s economy.

He made the call while playing host to the youth of the state, who have just returned from Germany after two months of intensive training in modern agricultural techniques.

He said the state government decided to send the youths for the programme to boost food productions in the state, saying the 20 youths, that returned last week, were the second batch of the exchange programme on agriculture between Osun and the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.

The two-month intensive agricultural programme, which included modern techniques in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, cattle rearing, poultry and piggery, cost the state N61 million while the State of Saxony-Anhalt expended N29.9 million.

According to Aregbesola, “the reality today is that Nigeria is in economic crisis. Apart from the fact that the nation’s economic mainstay, oil, is now cheap at the international market, our production capacity too has reduced significantly due to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.

“Besides, we also face food crisis and if we are unable to feed ourselves, then, there is problem. We believe, as a government, that we must produce what we consume. The first panacea out of the food crisis is for us as a people to drastically curb our excessive taste for foreign foods.

“We should patronise our locally produced foods rather than spend huge but scarce foreign exchange on importation of rice. Apart from this, now is also the time for our people to practise birth control and control our population. This will go in no small measure in reducing poverty in the land,” Aregbesola remarked.