Ikechukwu Kelikume, who teaches Agribusiness at Lagos Business School has explained how the scientific knowledge gap in crop production is the biggest problem we face in Nigeria’s agriculture today.
Kelikume, who stated this in his keynote address at the on-going BusinessDay AgreX Summit, said that there must be a proper understanding of the science behind crop production to effect change. “We need a road map in the Agricultural sector that ensures every state focuses on crops they only have a comparative advantage in its production.”
“Agribusiness is scientific because you can’t just jump into what you don’t know,” Kelikume said.
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He said Nigeria does not manufactured goods but highly rely on imports for most of its needs. “The clothes we are using are imported; Nigeria today is a net importer of food which is a problem because how can Nigeria be a net exporter of food?”
Kelikume said a country like Nigeria which is relatively import dependent will be susceptible to excessive currency fluctuations.
“There is a positive correlation between external trade and a country’s external reserve position hence the value of Nigeria’s exports in visible and invisible trade determines the strength of the country’s currency,” he said.
