Experts are canvassing for innovation in the agriculture sector as the Nigeria seeks to drive economic development through agric.
This call was made at a dialogue session targeted at youth farmers in the value chain of agriculture, recently organised by the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, in partnership with the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF).
“Agriculture is the pillar of the policy framework of the Federal Government’s economic diversification bid,” said Innocent Azih, an agriculture expert, in his keynote address.
Azih said that with the right policy stimulus, such as research support, robust food security programme, market access facilitation, inputs delivery, adequate infrastructure, among others, this objective could be achieved.
Highlighting the role of smallholder farmers in the nation’s agricultural sector, Azih urged the farmers to seek innovative ways of increasing the domestic production of the entire commodity grown by them, infuse technology in production, seek information and update their knowledge.
He specifically identified the youth as the key drivers of the new economy, noting that they have the passion, education and energy to accomplish it.
Fatai Afolabi, technical committee member, (BATNF), observed that the rhetorics had moved away from agriculture to agribusiness. “We are beginning to talk about value chain and food, and not just commodity,” he added.
Afolabi noted that innovation is very critical to value chain development. “All value chain must come to terms with innovation. Innovation is key. It doesn’t mean changing the way things were done in the past, but doing it differently and better,” he said.
He also noted that innovation must begin with women who he said are actively involved in the agriculture value chain. He blamed the problem of food insufficiency on huge post-harvest losses, noting that “agriculture has not been as vibrant as we wanted it because we don’t eat what we produce.”
Mezuo Nwuneli, managing director, Sahel, noted that farmers must approach business opportunities in agriculture with greater care. He advised smallholder farmers to see farming and grain as a science, which need to improve yearly in tandem with other parts of the world, and tailor innovation towards improving agribusiness.
Josephine Okojie
