Experts in the agricultural sector have emphasized the need for optimization of local seed production to boost agricultural productivity in the country.
Speaking at a virtual pre-NES26 event themed ‘Optimal Productivity in Nigeria’s Agribusiness: Achieving the Goal of Seed Security’, Mustapha Shehuri, minister of state for Agriculture, said in line with the economic diversification agenda, agriculture has a significant impact on the local economy however growth in the sector is constrained by low productivity and poor value chain development owing to a number of challenges.
“The COVID-19 pandemic tested Nigeria’s food system and it shows that agriculture has the prospect to expand Nigeria’s economy. However, agricultural growth in recent times has been challenged on account of low productivity, poor value chain development, and ineffective linkages with industrial and service sectors,” he explained during the session recently hosted by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
The minister revealed that the Nigerian seeds economy is worth over N4 billion annually if properly optimized as the country supplies over 40 percent of the seed requirement in West Africa, adding that on a global scale the demand for seed has the potential to generate foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria in the future.
Also, Wonu Adetayo board member, NESG in her remarks said in achieving food security, there is a need to position agriculture in an enabling position through the provision of policies and infrastructure.
“Nigeria is currently plagued with a myriad of input deficiencies which significantly hampers her food sustainability, import substitution and indeed export promotion agenda, to achieve Nigeria’s food security agenda, there must be access to right quality inputs,” she stated.
She stated that Nigeria has input deficiencies and that less than 15 percent of Nigerian farmers are using quality seeds in their farming processes, adding that it is necessary to provide short to medium plans which will direct how to address current and future seeds problems in Nigeria.
Olusegun Ojo, director-general, National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), in his remarks, said that in optimizing seed farming, there is a need for the seeds to be available in sufficient quantity, readily available and suitable to the local environment.
He added that the NASC is working on introducing measures to help improve farmer’s access to quality seeds, curb challenges encountered in accessing good seeds, and in general improve the agricultural industry going forward.
Similarly, Nkiru Okpareke, chairman, Business Integration Platform of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), said Nigeria can produce seeds and that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the insecurities in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and also brought up new opportunities for growth and self-sufficiency.
The pre-summit was held ahead of the upcoming annual 26th Nigerian Economic Summit scheduled to hold from October 26 – 27, 2020 which is themed “Building Partnerships for Resilience”, and is focused on mapping the future, new trends, new opportunities, embracing technology and innovation, building resilience and charting the path to economic recovery.
Agriculture requires more investments to drive Nigeria’s economic growth – Abdulwahab
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
Nigeria can accelerate economic development through agriculture, if the country’s industries are rightly fixed, agricultural production and agribusiness are taking more seriously, according to Umar Abdulwahab, a member of the Federal Government Joint Technical Task Team (JTTT) on Agricultural Inputs who recently with spoke with BusinessDay.
According to Abdulwahab, there should be massive investments in agriculture all over the country in such a way that agricultural produce useful for the manufacturing sector are being produced, thereby, reducing expenses spent annually on importation of raw materials.
“I think the most important thing is the theme, ‘Together, We Shall’, because we have gone through so many tribulations that (almost) disintegrated the country but upon all that, we are still one as a nation.
“This year is another experience for us not only in Nigeria but all over the world. The issue of COVID-19 Pandemic has caused the whole world to be at pause, if not for recent time when things started moving gradually. The effect indeed was critical as virtually every sector of the economy had collapsed,” said Abdulwahab, while speaking during celebrations of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary.
Abdulwahab said that for Nigeria to excel as a nation, “Nigerians must key in to the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture, stressed the need to explore agricultural sector maximally, in order to ensure food security and as well, move the country forward.
“We can see that the rain is not falling as expected, that means if we are not careful there could be food crisis” he said.
