Back to: History Primary 5
Hello, my bright and brilliant Afrilearn champion! I hope you are having a fantastic day. You are doing so well in your learning journey, and I am super proud of you! Today, we are going to learn about a very important programme in Nigeria’s history called Operation Feed the Nation (OFN). Have you ever wondered why we need to grow our own food instead of always buying from other countries? Well, let’s find out why this programme was created and how it helped Nigeria!
Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) – May 12, 1976
Imagine you have a small garden at home where you plant vegetables. You water them, take care of them, and after some time, you don’t need to buy vegetables from the market anymore because you have your own! That is exactly what the Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) programme was all about—encouraging Nigerians to grow their own food so that the country wouldn’t have to depend too much on imported food.
Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) was launched on May 12, 1976, by General Olusegun Obasanjo, who was Nigeria’s military Head of State at the time. The main reason for this programme was to make sure that Nigeria had enough food to feed its growing population. The government wanted everyone—farmers, students, workers, and even city dwellers—to participate in farming and food production.
At that time, Nigeria was importing too much food from other countries, and the prices of food items were getting too high. The government believed that if more Nigerians started farming, there would be enough food for everyone, and prices would go down. OFN aimed to:
- Encourage Nigerians to farm – Whether people lived in villages or cities, they were encouraged to grow food in their backyards or on large farms.
- Reduce food importation – Instead of spending money buying food from other countries, Nigeria wanted to produce its own food.
- Create jobs – More farming meant more work opportunities for people.
- Make food affordable – If there was enough food, the price of food items would be lower, and more people could afford to eat well.
The government introduced agricultural education in schools and provided farming tools, fertilisers, and seeds to help people grow crops. Even students were encouraged to plant in their schools!
However, OFN did not last for too long. When a new government came into power in 1979, the programme was discontinued, and another agricultural policy was introduced. Even though it ended, OFN helped Nigerians understand the importance of growing their own food and made agriculture an important part of the country’s economy.
Think about your school feeding programme. Imagine your school decides to start planting vegetables, rice, and maize so that they won’t have to buy from outside. This would save money and provide fresh food for students. That’s just like what OFN tried to do for Nigeria—make the country grow enough food instead of always depending on others. Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) was launched on May 12, 1976, by General Olusegun Obasanjo to encourage food production in Nigeria. The programme aimed to reduce food imports, promote farming, and make food more affordable. Even though it didn’t last long, it helped Nigerians realise the importance of agriculture. Today, farming remains one of the most important ways to grow the economy and fight hunger in Nigeria.
Evaluation
- Who launched Operation Feed the Nation?
- In what year was Operation Feed the Nation introduced?
- What was the main goal of Operation Feed the Nation?
- Mention two benefits of Operation Feed the Nation.
- Why was farming important in Nigeria at that time?
Great job, my superstar! You have just learned about a very important programme in Nigeria’s history. Keep being curious and keep learning because knowledge is power! Remember, with Afrilearn, you are always ahead. See you in our next exciting lesson!
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