President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigerians are now dumping white collar jobs to become farmers, a sign that his government’s agriculture policy is paying off. 

Buhari made the comment on Friday while receiving the former Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe at the State House in Abuja. 

The president who didn't provide statistics to back his claims said agriculture is paying off handsomely, adding that Nigerians are not regretting it.

According to him: “We needed to go back to the land, as petroleum could no longer sustain the country, particularly with fluctuating prices.

“Today, we eat what we grow, and we have stopped importation of many food products. There’s no foreign exchange to even waste again.

“Agriculture has also helped us to generate employment. We have embraced technology, and some people are even leaving the offices to go back to the land. And they are not regretting it.

“That is the feedback we get,” Buhari said.

Responding, the former Prime Minister congratulated Buhari for achievements Nigeria has attained under him, especially in agriculture, and for successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While noting that he was in the country under the auspices of Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, Boshe added that the organisation was working in 16 countries in Africa, “and if we want to change anything in the continent, it must start with Nigeria.”

He stressed that Africa must emulate what is happening in other parts of the world as regards agriculture, and with Nigeria having achieved greatly, being able to stop rice importation.

“We want to champion the Nigerian policy at the continental level. We should have a common African voice on food self-sufficiency. Africa can feed the globe.”