Abdulmumeen Mohammed Jawondo, a chartered accountant and revenue consultants in Kwara State has charged the Kwara state government to provide support to farmers in form of inputs to boost agric productivity in the state and spur economic growth.
Jawondo also urged the state to train farmers on modern farming techniques to increase their production and improve their livelihood.
The revenue consultant made this known at a recent media parley, organised by the state NUJ to bridge the information gap between policy makers and the public.
Jawondo, who spoke on the topic, ‘Economic and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Potentials of Kwara State’, noted that the economic potentials embedded in Kwara State are numerous and yet to be fully explore due to lack of focus of the past and current administration.
He noted that the inability of the government to provide an enabling environment has deterred investments in the sector.
According to him, agriculture remains the sector that creates most jobs if well explored and managed.
“Some States in Nigeria such as Kebbi, Lagos and Borno have explored this opportunity and this has impacted positively on the wellbeing of their citizens as well as on their socioeconomic indices,” Jawodo said.
“Just like Kebbi State that capitalized on agricultural resources mainly through the cultivation of rice to create wealth for its citizens by partnering with Lagos State, Kwara State can also leverage on the potentials in agriculture to empower a large number of unemployed youths and make them productive.”
He therefore recommended that the state government to fully explore the opportunities in agriculture through identification of areas of comparative advantages in various region.
“Each senatorial district in the state is blessed with various agricultural potential which can be explored. Research group should be consulted for this and be given time line to come up with ways to tap these opportunities.
“This should be inclusive of cash crop which can be sold locally and internationally,” he said.
Speaking further, Jawondo stressed the need to create an effective marketing board to help farmers maintain good pricing for their products and also a source for readymade market.
He added that strategic partnership with other states governments, multilateral institutions such as the African Development Bank and others would boost the production and market for agricultural produce.
Jawondo equally enjoined government to provide social amenities for rural dwellers.
“The importance of having amenities in the rural communities cannot be overemphasized. A trip to Kwara North, where major farming activities are embraced can be very disheartening because it would be difficult to encourage youth to remain in such communities.
“No serious minded investors would be willing to set up farming industries in such environment due to lack of infrastructure,” he added.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
