Agriculture: Gradually Returning To Service Nigeria’s Economy
AGRICULTURE used to be the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. As oil revenue increased, successive governments out of lack of leadership vision ignored this economic multiplier until President Goodluck Jonathan administration made agriculture a top priority of his government. So far, the present government’s agricultural programmes have recorded appreciable gains that can be further leveraged to ensure self-sufficiency in food production and possibly economic stability in the face of dwindling oil price.
Nigerians, especially the Christian community who observe Christmas celebration and other end of the year activities have always witnessed price hikes in almost all types of foods, especially rice. But December last year was a month that could be referenced to have signposted the gains made by the Jonathan administration in the quest to boost food production and ensure that the journey towards self-sufficiency in agricultural practices reflects in practical terms on the quality of life. This was due to the 70 per cent growth in food production following the present government’s commitment, investment and efforts in the agricultural sector. The development is unprecedented in the history of the country since the oil boom.
It would be recalled that in 2011, the Jonathan administration took giant steps towards food sufficiency by initiating the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) through the Ministry of Agriculture. The GES programme was essentially designed to plug all the leakages in the fertilizer and agricultural components distribution programmes and ensure that farmers, rather than profiteering middlemen, access the components and the subsidies attached to them.
Last year’s Christmas celebration provided a window for an assessment of the programme. In 2013, rice prices shot up by about 25 per cent during this high demand period. But in 2014, prices largely stabilised and citizens were able to purchase almost at the same rate they bought the previous year.
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, recently said the current rice transformation policy would lead to the national goal of rice self-sufficiency.
“Nigerian rice farmers have increased output by over 2.8 million metric tonnes of rice paddy. The total output of paddy in the 2012 wet season and 2012/2013 dry season brought to the market an additional 1.409 million metric tonnes (MT) of paddy or 916,137 MT of milled rice from 403,222 hectares of cultivated land. By the 2013 wet season and 2013/2014 dry season, output more than doubled to 2.96 million MT of paddy or 1.92 MT of milled rice from 802,108 hectares of land.
“What this means that if the current tempo is sustained and the area of land devoted to rice cultivation were doubled, Nigeria would produce over and above the quantity of rice being imported, leaving room for export.
“This has happened because through the GES programme, government has given massive support to farmers. Without this, the quantum jump in production would have been elusive.”
With increased farming activities, government has also been solving employment problems along the way. Agriculture, being a critical employment enabler, experts say, has capacity to reduce the spiraling unemployment rate in the country significantly. There is no doubt that, so far, tremendous gains have been recorded in the sector that was comatose before now. It was a result of the progress made in the sector that some yam sellers in the North allegedly donated N5 billion to General Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign funding.
Speaking on the progress made in rice production recently, Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye, said the upbeat in rice production activities in the 2012 wet season and 2012/2013 dry seasons resulted in 751, 248 jobs produced in rural communities. This, according to him, was in addition to hundreds of thousands of other indirect job opportunities for input suppliers, farm labourers, transporters, warehouse operators and other stakeholders in the value chain.
“The rice transformation agenda under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) was truly ambitious, but realistic. After two years of attempts, the decision to embark on such an ambitious programme has proved worthwhile. There are many areas in which efforts of the government have restored hope and brightened prospects and we will continue to work on these areas to ensure that in a few years down the road, greater gains would be recorded,” he stated.
Citing the example of cotton, a product that was high in the country’s export list in the 60s and 70s, Oyeleye said plans were already underway to ensure this class of agro products grow as high as rice in the coming years. He noted that when this happens, the nation’s hitherto healthy textile industry would become alive and millions of direct and indirect employment would be created.
On the prospects of restoring the cotton industry, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina said: “I have looked at the creativity in the Nigerian fashion industry and can only imagine what that growing industry would be like when we begin to receive the results from the foundation we are currently laying in cotton production.
We want to ensure that the diversified Nigerian economy of the near future would be driven by agriculture.”
So there is no gainsaying the fact that under the Jonathan administration, the prospects of changing the country’s fortunes through the agric sector is looking good. The gains from the GES have provided a new vista through which the economy can grow and sustain the country and its people with or without oil. When the time comes and Nigeria is able to feed itself, revenue losses from needless imports can then be aggregated and channeled to other critical areas of need.
Danbada, a farmer wrote Otukpo, Benue State
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2 Comments
For 2 years I have been trying to no avail to secure agric loan to
establish a cocoa/cassava plantation with one of my new company, AGRO SEEDS
INDUSTRIES. I wish the FMARD to sponsor pilot farms for my company to teach
youths all over the states in Nigeria basic/practical and vocational
agriculture using my book ‘Agricultural orientation for Nigerian youths, vol.1,
food-crops,’ a basic of the agricultural orientation series. We want to partner with the FMARD, IITA, FIRRO,
YFarm, ect., to make ATA of Nigeria a reality in practice.
Nwarienne P.J.
2348063341849
SOS. RE;APPEAL FOR SPONSOR TO PUBLISH MY BOOK ON AGRIC ORIENTATION FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS.
Nigeria is one of the most blessed countries in the world. The problem
is spiritual wickedness of its people. People that sold their fellow
brothers in exchange for
anything into slavery for centuries to the West and East Indices,
Americas, Europe, Middle east, and Asian countries.
They prefer to give and serve the white man than to do same to their fellow blacks. I
am lettered in history. The middle men of the Slave coast; from
Eko-Badagry to Creek town Calabar; [Nigeria] started the trans-Atlantic
stage it with the Europeans in mid 16th century, later with the
American settlers. There were hundreds of savage and modern wars before
the annexation of the colonies of Lagos and Calabar in late 19th
century. Later the protectorate on the north and south and its
amalgamation in 1914. John Becroft fought Oba Kosoko of Eko and King
Jaja of Opobo, these two were captured and deported to the Barbados
Island in the West Indice {Caribbean Islands} also Nana of Itsekiri and
Oba Ovaremi of Benin were dealt with, all to stop with force the
illegitimate trade in human beings. When Lord Lugard fought Ahmadu Bello
at Kaduna it was for ruler-ship over the emirates.
To cut a very long
story short I would rather advise Nigerian to see beyond their nose,
and learn to help keep a country that took centuries of unrecorded and
recorded wars and anarchy to build.
Whatever is your gift is what God
will use to bless others. What is your gift? Giving offer us the
opportunity to restore our destiny – your love, wisdom, time and money
does it all and there will be peace and joy for every one. God is found
of revealing weakness before [they] begin to destroy. I have a personal
idea that can make this country very successful. Check it out, print,
copy and paste.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
RE; APPEAL TO PUBLISH A BOOK TITLED ‘AGRICULTURAL ORIENTATION FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS, VOL1. FOOD-CROPS.
Appeal for funding my publication of a revolutionary book on agriculture
titled, “Agricultural Orientation for Nigerian Youths,” Vol. one;
food-crops.
By Joseph-Paul Nwarienne.
I have just finished writing a revolutionary manuscript on agriculture title “Agricultural
Orientation for Nigerian Youths”, volume 1; Food Crops. The format is as follows;-
[a] The preface.
[b] Acknowledgments.
[c] 6 parts.
[d] 27 chapters.
[e] 44 references.
[f] 11 illustrations.
All
the chapters have between 3-9 sub-chapters that deal on specified crop
analysis in sequences that I deemed not necessary to classify hereon.
Part 1: Introduction:- 3 chapters. 1. Farm Management. 2. Factors influencing the present
situation of food production in Nigeria. 3. The socioeconomic aspect of agricultural schemes to
increase food production in Nigeria.
Part 2: Agronomy:- 6 chapters. 1. The plant crop. 2. Land preparation. 3. Soil and plant
nutrients. 4. Weeds control. 5. Propagation techniques. 6. Disease and pest control.
Part 3: Root crops:- 4 chapters. 1.Cassava. 2.Yam. 3.Sweet potatoes. 4.Coco-yam.
Part 4: Cereal-crops:- 4 chapters. 1.Rice. 2.Wheat. 3.Maize. 4.Guinea-corn
Part 5: Legume and Fruit crops:- 6 chapters. 1.Groundnut. 2.Cow-pea. 3.Plantain. 4.Pineapple. 5.Orange. 6.Paw-paw.
Part 6: Vegetable crops:- 4 chapters. 1.Garbage. 2. Tomatoes. 3.Onion. 4.Pepper.
Like I said earlier, each of the chapters have sub-chapters in sequences,
eg., Part 3:- chapter 12. Sweet Potatoes [Impomoea batatas].
12.1. Importance.
12.1.1. Fresh tuber utility.
12.1.2. Processed tuber utility.
12.2. Botany of the crop.
12.3. Propagation technique.
12.4. Maintenance.
12.5. Harvest and storage.
12.6. Disease and pest control.
I
study and researched vocational agriculture at Isulo, Igbariam, and
Adani farm settlements. I graduated with NCE., from school of arts and
social sciences,
department of Geography/History, Nwafor Orizu College of Education
Nsugbe, Anambra state, Nigeria. Reg.No.2007/8680.
I classified this script such as none had ventured. I hereby beg this organization for funds
to enable me publish and print the manuscript 1st edition of vol.1. I am a
prolific writer that needs sponsoring to publish. The manuscript is 26,
431 words, 44 references and, 11 illustrations.
For two years I have been trying to no avail to secure agric loan to establish a
cocoa/cassava plantation with one of my new companies, AGRO SEEDS
INDUSTRIES. I want a sponsor pilot farms for my company to teach youths
all over the states in Nigeria basic/practical and vocational
agriculture using my book ‘Agricultural orientation for Nigerian youths,
vol.1, food-crops,’ a basic of the agricultural orientation series. We
want to partner with you to make ATA of Nigeria a reality in practice.
I uploaded a software version of the unpublished manuscript to Dorrance
Publishing Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. for possible
publishing of the script on premium standard level at the cost of
$15,000 I wish to launch this revolutionary book on agriculture state by
state and in the process establishing agric vocation centers in
Nigeria.
I hereby appeal to the to use your discretion via your
subsidiaries to sponsor this pilot project for the publication of this
book ‘AGRICULTURAL ORIENTATION FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS’ Vol. 1. FOOD-CROPS.
The book will be instrumentally pivotal and like Gorge Orwell’s ‘ANIMAL
FARM’ of 1947, and Karl Marx’s ‘CAPITAL’ of 1867 revolutionary
expediency respectively. I will be able to pay with interest whatever
amount granted me since I know that agriculture is a very viable
business than meet the eyes of the teaming youths of Nigeria.
Joseph-Paul Nwarienne
08063341849
08038146812
Bank: Diamond bank plc:-
A/C Name: Nwarienne Joseph
A/C No: 0049017824
Bank: Fidelity Bank Plc:-
A/C Name: NIGERCOM GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD
A/C No: 5600132088
Below is except from a correspondence with a publishing company; Dorrance
Publishing Company, Inc. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. which I have
made contact with.
Joseph-Paul Nwarienne
Nigeria
Dear Joseph-Paul :
We have received and completed our review of Agricultural Orientation for
Nigeria: Volume One: Food Crops and we believe your work would make a
positive addition to our Dorrance Publishing list of titles.
In this manuscript, the author discusses the subcategories of managing a
farm, the plethora of crops and plants, and the flowers commonly used.
The manuscript explores the production and economical effects of
agriculture for the youth and society of Nigeria. This manuscript may
appeal to fans of non-fiction and education.
If you are like most of our authors, you realize that in order for your work to be published,
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Today, even established authors are choosing to
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As you will see, the most important element of our comprehensive publishing services
program is its inclusiveness. We incorporate all elements necessary to
properly publish Agricultural Orientation for Nigeria: Volume One: Food
Crops , including complete editorial and design services, a defined book
promotion plan, traditional print and e-book distribution, and order
fulfillment services.
You will be assigned a Project Coordinator,
who will be your personal liaison during the production of your book,
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A specific amount of your publishing services fee will be used to promote
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Additionally, a listing for your book will be created at Bowker’s Books
in Print, an essential bibliographic tool for libraries, booksellers,
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Order Fulfillment: Upon receipt of a retail or
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Food Crops, our fulfillment team will handle order and payment
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Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. continues to publish books in the fine tradition
associated with the Dorrance name for nearly 100 years. The original
publishing company was founded in 1920 by Colonel Gordon Dorrance and
was America’s first author services company. I have been personally
involved with Dorrance Publishing for almost a quarter of a century. I
truly believe that we have assembled a pool of creative writers,
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My staff and I understand Agricultural
Orientation for Nigeria: Volume One: Food Crops represents a significant
personal accomplishment for you, and we would be honored to have the
opportunity to work with you in bringing it into print.
Your personal publishing consultant will be giving you a call in the next
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Sincerely,
David Zeolla
President
We will review and take appropriate action.