The federal ministry of agriculture in collaboration with National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the World Bank, and other stakeholders, has launched the 2022 National Agricultural Sample Census Report (NASC).
The report is aimed at providing robust data information on agricultural activities, enhancing food and nutrition security as well as economic growth, according to a statement signed by Obe Mabel, principal information officer of the ministry.
Speaking in Abuja recently, Aliyu Abdullahi the minister of state for agriculture and food security said that data gathered from the census would provide evidence-based policy and decision-making in all sectors of the economy, particularly in line with renewed hope agenda in the agriculture sector.
The minister stated that the NASC would assist the ministry with statistics to monitor agricultural food supply and identify opportunities for development in the sector.
He added that ‘’ the most significant thing about the data was that the government should now measure, whatever you can measure, you can manage.”
In his remarks, the minister of budget and economic planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, lauded FMAFS and other development partners for supporting the report. He added that the outcome of the census was a shining example of what can be achieved with robust collaboration among stakeholders.
Dominque Koffy Kouacou, the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the report would provide critical data for policymakers to make important decisions in planning, monitoring and evaluation programmes as well as budget.
Adeyemi Adeniran, the statistician-general of the federation/CEO, NBS, said, “With over 65 percent of the population directly or indirectly dependent on the agriculture sector for their daily sustenance, the NASC results offer invaluable insights into the very foundation of our agricultural sector.”
He added that the report provided a detailed picture of the size and structure of farm holdings; land use patterns and crop production practices; livestock and fisheries activities, and the use of agricultural inputs, among others.
He further stated that the census revealed that there were about 40.2 million agricultural households in Nigeria, 91 percent cultivated crops, 35 percent practiced only crop cultivation, 48 percent reported raising different types of livestock, furthermore,16 percent of the households raised 58 58 million cattle,41.2 percent about 124 million goats, 42.5 percent poultry — most commonly chickens – while only five percent practiced fisheries.”
He said the lowest percentage of agricultural households in crop cultivation was recorded in Lagos State at 48 percent, while Ebonyi had the highest at 99.5 percent.
The highest percentage of agricultural households engaged in livestock production was reported in Jigawa State with 84.2 percent, followed by Bauchi State with 79.7 percent.
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