The Federal Government has been advised to revisit the Land Use Act, as its original intent has been distorted by various administrations over the years.
Professor Uzochukwu Onyebinama, an Agricultural Economist, made this call on Wednesday, the 10th of September, 2025, while presenting the 63rd Inaugural Lecture at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
He argued that the Act has failed to provide farmers with security of tenure since lands acquired for agriculture have often been converted for other purposes.
“They take the land, they turn around and give it to their cronies for housing estates, motor parks and all these and that thereby depriving agriculture of the basic resources for production,” Onyebinama stated.
The professor pressed for more financial support for agricultural research in Nigeria, stressing the need for modern facilities and access to credit for genuine rural farmers to improve food production and earnings.
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According to him, the United Nations’ zero-hunger goal is unrealistic. He explained that the focus should rather be on ensuring “freedom from hunger,” where every individual, regardless of economic status, can have at least two nutritious meals daily.
Onyebinama also recommended a nationwide census of authentic farmers to prevent diversion of agricultural funds to impostors.
Highlighting the limited landmass of the South East, which covers 29,388 square kilometers, he cautioned against allocating the region’s lands to the Ruga settlement scheme.