FG launches New Agricultural Policy

FG launches New Agricultural Policy

The New Agricultural Programme has been officially launched today by the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi  Osinbajo alongside other government officials and private stakeholders.

 By this launching the agricultural sector in Nigeria has got a new blue print paper for food security as private stakeholders have commended the policy for their involvement in the policy saying many short coming in the last administration ATA were seriously improved upon. 

The main focal crops in these policy are, Cocoa, Oil Palm, Cashew, Groundnut, Sesame Seed, Banana, Plantain, Kola nut, Tea, Coffee, Ginger, Shea Butter Beans, Yam ,Fruits and Vegetables. It is expected that all this crops will be holistically addressed through the value chain.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said that the vision of Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) was to revive the sector towards food security and import substitution.

 According to the minister, the policy would serve as the new fulcrum for economic diversification, inclusive growth and sustainable development adding that the launch of the `Green Alternative’ is an attestation that the change that the overwhelming majority of Nigerians canvassed for and openly welcomed by giving Muhammadu Buhari a resounding victory in the last presidential election in 2015 is at work in agricultural sectors”

 “In this policy, you will see us navigating through the agricultural terrain, trucking on virtually every aspect. We touched on the human element. We reflected on years of neglect where agriculture is seen as a refuge for the wretched and unsophisticated. But we refuse to dwell on lamentation. They can only guarantee misery. We touched on land and use land; we touched on soil types and appropriate and correct use of fertilizer for maximum yield. Testimonies make us hilarious as the rice yield on farm in Kebbi, Jigawa and Enugu have proved our rice yield are already approaching the highest world average of 7 tons per hectare.

The minister explained further that the emphasis on ‘’Green” is to capture the essence, spirit and orientation of the new policy/strategy document. The emphasis on green is deliberate; it is to underscore, not only the imperative of building a strong, vibrant and resilient economy, but also a green refreshing, generating, transformative-agriculture-led economy. It is to ensure mutual complementary between efficient, effective and productive agricultural production system and processes on one hand and environmental sustainability,’

He stated that the policy had five major strategic driving forces namely, achievement of self-sufficiency and sustainable food security, reduction in import dependence and economic losses, particularly through value addition. Other were stimulation of agro-exports for enhanced foreign exchange earnings, enhancement of wealth and job creation, especially provision of employment opportunities for the teeming youths. 

The minister stressed that the achievement of economic diversification to make the economy less oil-dependent was among the driving forces of the green policy adding that through it, farmers would have access to land, soil fertility, information and knowledge, inputs, production management, storage, processing, marketing and trade cum access to finance. Others are promoting agribusiness and ensuring investment development, institutional setting and roles, youth and women, infrastructure, research and innovation and nutrition security.