AGRICULTURE: For sustainable economic development of our nation
By Musa Muhammad Auwall
“In as much as the sector have been neglected for decades, in the currrent economic dwindling, the government can still revive it for sustainable and national economic building”.- M.M Auwall
As a concern citizen of Nigeria and student of Agriculture who happened to be an indegene of one of the agricultural producing state, I write with full of gesture to call on the attention of present admistration specifically Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Pa Audu Ogbe with regards to measures I think may assist in tackling the failure of our economy that is solidly dependent on oil production.
Permit me to give some insight on agricltural productions for the benefits of other citezens which I wish should be substitute of oil in near future if adequate policies are taking. I know many of us knows the currrent dwindling of crude oil in internatinal market which keep decreasing day by day, reports shows that the golden gift of nature was sold for about a hundred plus per barrel ($100+/barrel) a year ago, as of now that my hand is holding my pen writing, the price could not even go for a half of it with a mare projection that the price could go for as low as $20 a barrel. How could on earth our economy continue to depend on this low oil generation revenues with the fact that foregn reserve is emty (mind you am not an economist nor petroleum expert, my info is base on national dailies I go through)
Nigeria, solidly depends on oil exportation for revenue generation, that’s why its facing the current economic meltdown as the price of golden gift of nature falls down and continue to decline.
Advisably, it’s the time now, to switch to agriculture, Nigeria as a country has a population of 150 million people as of 2006 census. About 68% survive on a poverty line of $1 set by United nation, and more than half of this 68% lives in rural areas with primary source of income as localised agriculture in a form of subsistence farming, fishing, livestocks rearing and other forms of agicultural production. The current APC admistration need to focuses on improving the means of survival of most of this dwellers that engaged into localised agriculture, and within a short run, the results will be positively recomendable. This will only be achieved if introduction of mechanise method of farming is introduce with the aid of good extention services and provision of the mechanised tools and machinaries at a very subsidies rate that will be obtainable to most of this poor Nigerian's that survived below the poverty line of UN.
I just said something which is more of a magic, and many may assume am not making sense at all, please, forgive my elequence, I assume you all have questions on how can this be achieve? Through which way? Is that a short term or long term policy you are suggesting? The questions are endless I know… the answers to this are open;
We are to follow the foot steps of counties like Isreal, Indonesia, China, India, Canada just to mentioned but few who agriculture contibuted immensely to their revenue generation and still reaping the positive benefits. Take China for instance, according to Food and Agriculture organisation (FAO 2012), China is the highest producer of rice in the world, this is something Chinese will be proud of every where with the fact it has positive impact on their economy. Interestingly, when comparison should be make between Nigeria and China interms of arable land, I know Nigeria have something to be proud of, Now, do we really utilise this arable land like the Chinese? Its simly No.
The Hon. Minister of Agriculture should try as matter of urgency to invite experts in the field of Agriculture and Economics, thank God there are specialist on Agricultural economics, these experts will draw a blue print that will involve Guidelines, Targets and Optimum. I just gave them an acronym (GTO), when this guidelines are laid down, targets should be sets and within a time optimum, when its followed succesfully, I assure you we will follow the likes of India and China when it comes to Agriculture.
I know many will feel unsatisfy with my idea, I have my own reason that made me opine this way, although many may said am too selfish, why insisting on Agriculture? Mind you, its because am student of Agriculture and I have a dream one day this sector will lift our revenue generation. To back up my idea, I made observation of Nigerian land mass area which was beeen said covered an area of about three hundred and sixty five thousand, six hundred and sixty seven square metres (365, 667sq m) with about 39.53% of arable land that is suitable for crop production as of 2011 (world bank) from North to southern region, this land can be utilise to establish effective mechanise crop production. Hence its time our dear mother land make significant moves to switch to Agriculture. When serious attention is given, it will help to boom our economy, reduce our dependence of crude oil and aid in tackling the current effect of dwindling of oil price that harm our economy.
As earliar mentioned above, Hon minister Sir, following the likes of China, Brasil and India who succeded in this sector is our best option. For our agriculture to succed we should adopt the policy of AGRO-INDUSTRILISATION. As the terms goes, it simly means adopting the high technological man power for agricultural activities, this will only succed if the government can allocate good portion of national budget as prerequisites for Agro-industrilisation. Although government can't do it alone, there is need for private and foreign investors, if they are invited am optimstic that they have their own role to play and as a result may give way to employment oppotunities which will assist in closing some gaps of unemployment suffered by many youths like me.
As a student of agriculture, I know Nigerian geopolitical zones are enriched with vast agricultural produce, from the North West, we have sugarcane, wheat, sorghurm, maize, millet, but the list is endless specifically ceareals, the afore mentioned items are of high economical values through out the world. From the North East, they are gifted with cotton, millet, maize among others. Down to the North cental, Yam, cabbage, potatoes, rice ecetra-ecetra. Going through the South South zone, they are blessed with water bodies which favour them to fishing culture, their close neighbours, they are enriched with palm trees which have high economic significance as many products can be derived from it, they included soap, palm oil among other by products. And finally cruissing to the South West, the land of rubber, cocoa and cassava among others. Most of these crops are considered as cash crops globally.
Interestingly, if the government may invite foreign investors and the home base investors, trust me within a stipulated period, agriculuture will answer its name once again, and will help In tackling the economic crisis Nigeria is facing. Government need to create short and long term policies that may not only benefit the present but the near future. The policies should atleast cover establishing a rice parboiling company, sugar manufacturing company, wheat, maize and the likes should not be left behind, a flour mill is best option, a textile industry, palm oil and cocoa production in both Southern and Northern Nigeria, consideration should be made before siting the loction of each company with priotising the agricultural produce each area give out. This will attract foreign investors and create more jobs which will help to stablize economy of our father land.
Our elders always said; a word is enogh for a wise, I just said my view, adopt AGRO-INDUSTRILISATION, it will favour job creation, result to high yield which may be too much for domestic consumptions until exports are made, and before the realisation of global village, Hmm!!! We will follow the likes of China, India, Canada, among others. I RAISED MY PEN!
MUSA MUHAMMAD AUWAL
Final Year Student of Agriculture (Specialising in Animal Science), Kano University of Science and Technolgy, KUST Wudil.
Has passion for political analysis, public commentary, entrepreneurship, discussion of facts and citizen journalism, with keen interest to writing.
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