Federal Government says the new agricultural policy will focus on food security, import substitution, job creation and economic diversification for the country.
This is contained in a new agricultural roadmap for 2016 to 2020, tagged Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) and made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
The document says that the Federal Government in partnership with state governments will work together to achieve the objectives of the policy.
It says that the policy is founded on the number of guiding principles, which are carryovers from Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), and priorities of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
NAN reports that ATA is designed toward making agriculture work for Nigerians, especially rural farmers such that it becomes not just a development programme, but also an income generating commercial activity.
“The country will see agriculture as a business which will enable private sector-led engagement as main growth driver of the sector and it will remain a cardinal design principle of Nigeria’s agric policies going forward.
“The policy will make food as a human right with respect to food security, equity in the Nigerian society and compelling the government to recognise and fulfil the irreducible minimum degree of freedom of the people from hunger and malnutrition.
“Policy will also focus on nutrition sensitive agriculture, in addressing the issues of stunting, wasting, underweight and other manifestations of hunger and malnutrition among children, nursing mothers with chronic illness,’’ it says.
According to the document, the policy will ensure that agriculture as a key to long-term economic growth and security, will play a critical role in the country’s successful job creation, improved security and sustainable economic growth.
“The policy will focus on improved domestic food security, and boosting export earnings requires a measure of prioritisation.
“Market orientation will be focused on as instruments of stimulating agricultural production on a sustainable basis and stimulating supply and demand for agricultural produce by facilitating linkages between producers and off takers.
“Agriculture’s Linkages with other sectors is another instruments on the connected relationship between agriculture and other sectors at Federal and state levels, particularly industry, environment, power, energy, works and water sectors.
“Participation and inclusiveness will serve as measures to maximise the full participation of stakeholders, including farmers` associations, cooperatives and other groups, development partners and the private sector,’’ it stated. (NAN)
It added that Factoring Climate change and Environmental sustainability would sustain the use of natural resources while increasing agricultural production, marketing and other human activities in the sector.
“Policy integrity will be used to sanitise the business environment for agriculture in terms of accountability, transparency and due process of law, ensuring efficient allocation and use of public funding, and fighting corruption on all programmes involving public resources.’’
