FG’s broad Agric. Policy to drive grassroots development – Ogbe
The Nigerian federal government’s inclusive agriculture policy, is meant not only to boost economic development, create jobs and enhance food sufficiency, but targets at driving grassroots economic growth.
Hence agriculture accounts for major profession of the local population, the policies are also geared towards ameliorating challenges posed by subsistence farming, wastages. Preservation, transportation, research, education among others which erode value and harvest of farmers.
The above was disclosed by the federal minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, in Lagos on Wednesday, during a forum organized by the Nigerian Association of Agriculture Journalists (NAAJ).
He said that it was in the government effort at revitalizing Nigeria’s agriculture, as leading farm based economy in Africa, that the Nigerian Agricultural bank is now revitalized, through restructuring of the board and recapitalization of its capital base.The bank, According to the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant, would ensure .
Dr Oyeleye Olukayode, the Minister’s Senior Special Adviser, who stood in for the minister, in his presentation mat the forum which held at the Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Ikeja Lagos, said the federal government’s new agriculture policy is focused at not only sustaining the good works of former agriculture minister, but with inclusions that ensures complete revitalization of Nigeria’s economy via agric.
Dr, Oyeleye, said that the government of President Buhari is focused at ensuring that agriculture, which presents vast earning, employment opportunities as low hanging fruits, has a future for the country.
He said that with Nigeria’ vast arable land, diverse climatic conditions and vast manpower base, is positioning to be base for production of food and cash crops needs of major developed economies across the world.
“Agriculture provides different kinds of investment value chains, inbuilt, supply, transport, marketing, consumption, nutrition value chain and finance.”
