FG to Partner AfDB to Develop Agro-industrial Zones

The African Development Bank says it will partner the Federal  Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to promote the special agro-industrial processing zones targeted at increasing food production capacity and promoting local, regional and international trade.

This was contained in a resolution reached at a two-day 2019 dialogue on farming held in  Ilorin, Kwara State. It was organised by Agro Nigeria farmers with the theme ‘Eliminating the economic impediments to prosperous commodity agribusiness’.

The dialogue was aimed at providing long term solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural sector in Nigeria.

Part of the resolution read, “Women and youths are fundamental to the agriculture ecosystem. The youths needed to be engaged actively in Agribusinesses. In light of this, technologies/mechanisations and other necessary incentives that would bolster youths’ engagements should be rapidly activated.”

It added  the youths should be made to see the potential in agriculture, making them to embrace  it at both national and sub-national levels.

It commended the Federal Government for taking a decisive step to close the country’s borders but advised that the people should be culturally- reoriented to support this move, and curtailed  the prodigal culture of consuming only imported goods.

It observed that the problem confronting the agriculture sector in the country was the implementation of policies adding “if policies are well implemented by the government in the agricultural sphere, we will move progressively and the future of our economy will be bright.”

“The government should create proactive policies at the grass roots level that will benefit farmers in order to create jobs for the teeming Nigerian populace adding “research, policy and practice must converge to deliver a value added agriculture where there will be increase in employment and a stable job creation for the youths in the country.”

It also stressed the need for the introduction of structural marketing and contract farmers to enable farmers know “who buys from them and at what price, quantity and quality they are buying.”

PUNCH