Akaiso Eyo-Akaiso, Uyo.
The national president of Maize Association of Nigeria MAAN, Alh. Dr. Bello Abubakar Arnold has called on government, both Federal and state, to provide support to farmers to enhance sustainable agricultural practices for improved food production in Nigeria.
Alhaji Bello who made the call at 3rd Agric Business Roundtable UYO 2024, said government can provide the support by clearing the unutilized part of the land and prepare it for the youth to farm on.
Government could also engage farmers, especially the youth, in Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement where farmers are provided additional inputs such as fabricated machines to encourage them to mechanize their farming method.
The other support variables could come by way of providing soft loan, subsidy, grants and financial aid to the farmers.
“We have over 60 millions hectres of land in Nigeria, out of which 42 millions hectres are unutilized. Government can acquire this land, clear, prepare and hand it over to the farmers as part of their own contributions to encourage the sustainable agriculture as contained in the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu to enhance food security”
“We have Land and Development Resources and National Agricultural Land Development Authority in ministry of Agriculture. These two agencies can collapse their efforts and acquire lands and prepare them for farmers.
By so doing the challenge of farmers in Nigeria will be 30% solved,” he emphasized.
Arnold who has commended the federal government on efforts taken so far to ameliorate hunger in Nigeria, however, advocated for efforts to be more intensified to enable maize farmers to bridge the deficiency gap of 2 million of Maize production in Nigeria.
On his part, Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture said FG is committed to sustainable agricultural business practices.
Kyari said the federal government has deliberately designed agricultural investment incentives to ensure a stable and viable economic climate for local and foreign investment.
According to him, while some of these incentives are in the form of tax holiday, exemptions and reliefs, there are many that leverage on specific government policies , performances of companies as well as relevant international investment treaties.
“One of the cardinal reforms in the agricultural sector is making agriculture a business away from the primordial approach of beings a development programme.
” We are improving the agriculture value chains to unlock value for our farmers with special focus on areas in which we have comparative advantage.
He said it was in line with vision of President Bola Tinubu who declared a state of emergency on food security geared towards an agricultural revolution that would strengthen food and nutrition security and encourage industrialization for wealth and job creation.
” We are resolute to deliver enabling policies and programmes in line with the ministry’s deliverables assigned by President Tinubu that would ensure Nigerians are good secured.”
He said the federal government was committed to working with relevant stakeholders to build agriculture and agribusiness economy capable of delivering sustained property and meeting the domestic food and nutrition security goals, generating wealth and job creation and private investment.
Sen. Kyari explained that the federal government was working with states and the Organized Private Sectors to support youth and women with access to technical , entrepreneurial, business and marketing skills.
He expressed the hope that the conference would spur ample opportunities to strengthen the agribusiness sector and would contribute to the desired growth that would guarantee ood security, employment generation and diversification for transformation of the nation’s economy for nation security.
In his welcome address, the Akwa Ibom State commissioner for trade investment, John Etim highlighted the state government’s investment in agriculture adding that the Arise Agenda, the economic blueprint of the state government has added value to the development of the state with top priority in agriculture.
In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, Godwin Ekpenyong saw the forum as avenue for stakeholders in agriculture to how government can support farmers, with machinery, land, loan and other inputs to encourage them to produce enough food to stem looming food crisis.
Also speaking to calm frayed nerves over confusion that almost erupted at the end of day 1, as regards the continuation of the program on the second day, Zonal Coordinator, NAADI and Chairman of the Central planning committee, Howard Usen, assured that the 4th edition of the Agric business roundtable would be better organized.
Alhaji Bello Abubakar Arnold, National president of MAAN which is the umbrella body of Corn/Maize value chain production in Nigeria and others bagged awards for the role they have played in sustainable food production in the country.
The theme of the three-day conference tagged ‘Uyo 2024’ is unlocking agribusiness opportunities for economic sustainability and is being attended stakeholders in the agriculture sector including banks, financial institutions, farmers and private sector operators.
