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The Vice Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Saminu Ibrahim, a professor, on Tuesday observed that 80 per cent of farming activities in Nigeria concentrated on crop production.
Ibrahim made the observation in Bauchi at a public lecture titled “Unleashing Agricultural Potentials for Diversion of Nigeria’s Economy” organised by Alumni of Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), as part of activities to mark the 2018 Democracy Day.
He further observed that livestock accounted for 17 per cent, while aquaculture and forestry covered the remaining three per cent.
Ibrahim pointed out that only a small portion of the over one million hectares of arable land in the country was currently under cultivation.
He said the remaining vast arable hectares of land were lying in waste due to subsistence method of agriculture being practiced.
Ibrahim said the Gross Domestic product (GDP) would have gone up drastically if previous administrations in the country had de-emphasised over-dependency on oil.
He commended the Federal Government for paying attention to the agriculture sector, urging it to encourage mechanised farming and the application of appropriate technology.
He also called on the government to also encourage dry season farming to enable the people produce more food.
