Rilwan Raji is the Chief Executive Officer of DEKORAJ International Limited. The company, which is into agricultural and industrial production, modern farming setup, farm automations and mechanisation, sustainable empowerment design, setup and management, data analysis, and many more, in this interview with GBENGA AKINFENWA and SAFURAT MURITALA, spoke on how to address the challenges facing agriculture and what government needs to do to attain food security.

What do you think are the challenges currently facing the agricultural sector in Nigeria?
The challenges facing agricultural sector are multifaceted, encompassing issues such as inadequate infrastructure, poor youth and women engagement, limited access to credit, unfavourable credit conditions, corruption, extortion, fund diversion, insecurity ravaging farms, poor training, poor media engagement in information dissemination, old farming practices, wrong farmers data profiling, poor technological advancement integration, internal and deliberate exchange sabotage, among others.

Of all these, inadequate irrigation systems, post-harvest losses, smart farming training and the need for improved and easy access to modern farming technologies and practices are areas, which require immediate attention to attain food security in the country.

What roles can the private sector partnerships play in addressing these challenges?
The private sector has a bigger role to play in addressing challenges faced by agricultural businesses in Nigeria by providing expertise, technology, and capital. These collaborations can lead to innovative solutions and contribute to sustainable development. This private partnership will sincerely boost agricultural productivity in Nigeria; in fact, it is the way to go if we sincerely mean real growth for Nigeria agricultural sector.
There is this thinking where some people believe anything that comes from government is a national cake, they pay poor attention to such, secondly, the government implantation system is a cake, which makes the process of farmers support programme fail. This system will continue to fail if the tactics is not changed.

Could you provide examples of successful collaborations between Dekoraj Integrated Ltd and private sector entities to tackle agricultural issues in the past?
We have successfully collaborated with private sector entities in the past, particularly in implementing precision farming technologies and establishing agribusiness value chains that improve efficiency and market access for farmers. We have sustainable tactics that will work and give this sector the real boost needed. This will sincerely boost agricultural productivity in Nigeria, not the usual paper projection and media propaganda; this system will get to real, sincere and passionate farmers.
To enhance productivity and efficiency, Dekoraj employs precision farming techniques, invests in modern equipment, and provides training programmes for farmers to adopt best practices in crop and livestock management.
We are also contributing to the overall development of the agricultural sector through initiatives such as knowledge-sharing programmes, supporting small scale farmers with affordable and modern farming equipments, affordable cutting edge tools, advanced post harvest storage systems, smart farming and security equipment and participating in industry-wide collaborations to address systemic challenges.
What policy changes or government interventions will be most beneficial to foster growth and sustainability in the agricultural business industry?
There is need for policy changes, private sector supports and government interventions. We at Dekoraj view the following as beneficial. For instance, investments in rural infrastructure, internal road networks, consistent media orientation (dedicated national agricultural radio, television shows etc), streamlined access to credit for farmers, and supportive policies that encourage private sector participation and innovation are the way to go.
We are also planning to leverage technology and innovation by implementing smart farming practices, utilising real data analytics for decision-making and exploring advancements such as precision agriculture to optimise resource use

Can you elaborate on any initiative or projects that Dekoraj has undertaken to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in agriculture?
To promote sustainable practices, we have done free youth farming training, affordable and smart farming equipments fabrications, waste reduction measures, and promoting eco-friendly agricultural inputs to minimise environmental impact, to help the government in understanding loopholes and corrective measures.

Considering the importance of food security, what steps are required to encourage more investment in the agricultural sector, and how can private sector partnerships contribute to this?
Government must create an enabling environment through supportive and sustainable policies, grassroots security network system – this will help in tackling insecurity, real job empowerment, public-private partnerships, which is the way to go, and initiatives that enhance the value chain. Private sector partnerships can contribute immensely by bringing in expertise and investment.
We believe that issues such as access to finance and market opportunities for small-scale farmers through partnerships with financial institutions, single digit loan for agric businesses with long repayment time, government post harvest market (Digital and offline market), capacity-building programmes, and establishing market linkages, will greatly enhance the profitability of smallholder farmers.

What are the long-term goals and aspirations of Dekoraj Integrated Ltd in contributing to the growth and development of the agricultural sector in Nigeria?
The long-term goals of Dekoraj include, contributing significantly to the growth and development of the agricultural sector in Nigeria by fostering sustainable practices, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and playing an active role in shaping policies that promote the sector’s overall resilience and prosperity.
We are also coming with various technological innovations and real workability systems for our country having indigenous and expertise know how in this business, coming up with realistic and sustainable business proposals for individuals, private and government sectors, creating unique agricultural mechanisation and automation system for good return on investments for investors in agriculture, creating realistic and sustainable empowerment programmes for government and private individuals.