Nigerians must stop blaming the government for the nation’s food crisis and start taking bold steps to grow food and create wealth using modern agricultural methods, says youth entrepreneur and social analyst, Chima Christian.
In an exclusive chat with The News Chronicle in Enugu, Christian argued that Nigeria, with over 84 million hectares of arable land, has no excuse to grapple with poverty, hunger, and unemployment, especially among its youth.
“Whenever food scarcity is discussed, the first reaction is to blame government. Yes, insecurity in food-producing areas is a challenge. But what about the idle lands in urban centres? Why aren’t we cultivating those?” he questioned.
Christian, who is the CEO and co-founder of Teva Foods, challenged Nigerians to stop waiting for government action and instead take personal and collective responsibility for solving societal issues, even amid poor leadership.
He urged urban dwellers to identify unused land around them, lease it, and deploy modern farming techniques like vertical farming to grow more in less space.
“At Teva Foods, we’ve proven that six plots of land can outperform two hectares of traditional farmland, just by adjusting crop selection and management,” he said.
Christian believes the failure of the government to address food insecurity has created space for private sector-led solutions. He called on Nigerians to either get involved in farming or support those already doing the work.
“You don’t have to be a farmer yourself. Find someone doing the work and help them scale. That’s how we solve hunger and create jobs,” he said.
Teva Foods, he added, is leading a quiet agricultural revolution with its organic food production, climate-smart farming, and job creation initiatives across Africa.
“Our cluster farming investment programme is creating real impact offering measurable returns while building value in underserved communities,” Christian said.
