AGP Dialogue national : le président Oligui Nguema échange avec les membres du bureau AGP Gabon : Bientôt un recensement des biens de l’Etat AGP Coopération Gabon-France : un forum économique en perspective APS SENEGAL-PRESIDENTIELLE / Bassirou Diomaye Faye reçu en audience par Macky Sall MAP Afrique du Sud: Zuma exclu des prochaines élections (Commission électorale) MAP La CAF annonce les dates des finales de la Ligue des Champions et de la Coupe de la Confédération MAP Afrique du Sud: 45 morts dans un accident d’autocar au Limpopo APS SENEGAL-ITALIE-TRANSPORTS / ITA Airways va inaugurer en juillet une ligne Rome-Dakar APS SENEGAL-ENVIRONNEMENT / Bonne amélioration des taux d’accès à l’eau et à l’assainissement (expert) ANP Signature de convention entre le Niger et la Société WAPCO Niger pour un programme de formation de talents à Southwest Petroleum University de Chine

World Food Day: Expert advocates increased funding of agric to create jobs


  16 Octobre      24        Environnement/Eaux/Forêts (6388),

 

Ibadan, Oct.16, 2019 (NAN) Prof. Veronica Obatolu, the Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Ibadan, has called for Federal Government’s increased investment in agriculture to create jobs for youths in the country.

The Executive Director made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria as the country joins the world to celebrate the 2019 World Food Day.

She said that the government’s increased funding of the sector would improve small scale farmers’ productivity and income through value chain development and encouragement of farmers’ cooperative groups.

Obatolu said that the closure of border by the Federal Government gave room for consumers to seek alternatives in locally produced food items, thereby, improving farmers’ incomes.

According to her, it will improve the livelihood of farmers which can subsequently result in job and wealth creation.

“For example, one of my friends told me that someone gave her Ofada rice about a year ago, she just kept it somewhere with the impression that it was not as good as the imported rice.

“Fortunately, due to the recent ban, she was forced to try the Ofada rice and to her surprise, it has better taste and says even if the ban is lifted, she will never go back to the polished imported rice,’’ she said.

She however urged research scientists into look how to completely get rid of the stones, saying the effect of the ban would bring increase in price and reduction in the purchase of imported food items.

The Provost, Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Ibadan, Dr Babajide Adelekan called for urgent need to ensure increased funding of food sector by the federal and state governments.

Adelekan said that Nigerians should embrace government’s removal of import duties on tractors and agricultural machines, saying this would speed up mechanisation of the country’s agriculture.

He said improved access to agricultural loans should be ensured through the passing of legislation, which should be given at lower interest rates.

The provost said that close monitoring should be done to ensure that such loans were used for agricultural purposes.

“Legislation should also establish and insist on a minimum benchmark for agricultural loans in the overall loan portfolio of a bank.

“Doing these and others will assist the country to improve food production to feed the population, and fibre production to feed the industries with attendant increase in overall performance of our economy.

“Mechanised agriculture is capital intensive and the typical Nigerian farmer simply does not have the resources to execute that entirely on his or her own.

“Therefore, as a matter of policy, agro service centres should have the full range of agricultural machines and equipment, seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals and other essential agricultural inputs be established in every agriculturally based local government in Nigeria.

“Farmers within the local government can then approach these agro service centres to rent machines and other equipment at highly subsidised rates to conduct their farming activities,” he said.

He said that agricultural personnel should also be available at these centres to render proper extension services to farmers.

The South-West Vice President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Mr Victor Korede, said the border closure served as a balancing scale that had revealed the true worth of country.

Korede said that the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers Programme to empower the farmers had boosted rice production in South-West in the last one year.

“Rice farmers are now in farms round the year which had not been before. We have also seen the government through its life programme constructed small scale rice mill in some states,” he said.

NAN reports that World Food Day annually marked on Oct. 16 is aimed at tackling global hunger.

UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a statement it was released ahead of the day.

FAO said shifting to a healthier diet by eating more seasonal fruits and vegetables and reducing the consumption of junk food could help in meeting the ‘zero hunger’ goal of the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals.

Dans la même catégorie