Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa |
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) has said agriculture in
Nigeria needs to be strategically subsidized for food security to be achieved.
The lead specialist, FARA Prof. Oluwole Fatumbi disclosed this during
the 4 days training held in Abuja.
Prof. Fatumbi explained that the subsidization must be done in such a
strategic manner that will enhance an enabling environment for farmers to
achieve optimal production towards commercialization of wealth and jobs
creation to the entire population all the value chains thereby replicating
American model.
His words: “Agriculture should be subsided, but strategic subsidization
at the point of providing general incentives that gives enabling environment
for farmers to achieve optimum production.
“Hundred years ago they were where we are now, but today only 2 per cent
of Americans are farmers on the farm while 13 per cent are in value chain
development, processing and financing which brings growth and reduction in
price of commodity.
“I am not against the government efforts, they are trying, but they need
to channel the efforts and energy in the right direction to ensure that
agriculture delivers to the larger population.”
As regards access to land, he stressed the need for FG to review the
1979 land tenure act that took away possessions from land owners, saying
farmers should have access to their lands and be at will to rent out to any
farmer of their choice saying that FG should remodel and review the National
Land Development Agency ( NALDA) which its politicization in the past led to
the closure.
Also, a Professor of Agricultural Extension, Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria Tunji Arokoyo attributed woes in the sector to lack of commitment on the
part of leadership.
He berated the so much fun fair and media hype attached to agricultural
programs with little or no actual investment in the sector lamenting that low commitment of the
government to the 2003 Maputo agreement and 2014 reconfirmation in Malabo that
compelled member states to set aside 10 per cent of yearly budgets to
agriculture has never been met.
An Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) officer, Chief( Mrs)
Alice Fabiyi urged researchers to engage more in demand driven researches and
avoid the idea of research promotion, noted
that extension services and researches are expensive and thereby urged
government and other private stakeholders to ensure making research a market
driven venture so as to able to get more finance.
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