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Considered one of these 3 might be named Nigeria’s subsequent Agric Minister, what’s their Pedigree and why does it matter to stakeholders?
For stakeholders within the Agric sector, the time has come to be proactive in holding ministers accountable and whereas the onus will not be on them to select a minister, they advise the president to make sure that an intensive capability evaluation is finished to select solely the perfect.
Nigeria’s Agriculture Sector
Nigeria’s agriculture sector performs an important position within the nation’s financial system, contributing almost 25% to GDP and using 70% of the workforce.
Nonetheless, it additionally faces important challenges throughout the worth chain, from land tenure points to provide chain bottlenecks.
In recent times, the sector has seen efforts to develop downstream meals processing and agri-business industries, however astute coverage administration is required to draw important investments that may absolutely unlock its potential.
As Nigerians await the assigning of portfolios to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cleared 48-man ministerial nominees, a wave of premonitions is sweeping throughout the agricultural sector, which has borne the brunt of a lacklustre efficiency when it comes to coverage administration and implementation, that has left the Agric sector’s potential largely untapped.
A overview of the profiles of the present ministerial nominees, throw up three excellent names who’ve had stints within the Agric sector and any of them might emerge because the substantive minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Growth (FMARD) if their pedigree is taken into account for his or her appointments.
Profiles of potential nominees
Born on 19 September 1962, Mr Bagudu is the ex-governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023.
He served because the Chairman of, the Presidential Committee on Fertilizer and in addition the Chairman of, the Presidential Committee on Non-oil Income. He’s the proprietor of Talamiz Group of Industries, a conglomerate with various pursuits in vehicles, manufacturing, agriculture and animal husbandry, in addition to commodity distribution.
Earlier than he ventured into politics, he was the Nationwide President of the Nigeria Affiliation of Commerce, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
Mr Lokpobiri from Bayelsa State, served two phrases within the Senate, he served as chairman of the committee on Water Assets and a member of the committee on Stable Minerals earlier than being appointed Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Growth in 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Utsev is a civil engineer and pioneer Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Wanune in Tarka LGA of Benue State. He was an affiliate professor on the College of Agriculture, Makurdi.
Prof Utsev served as a commissioner within the Samuel Ortom authorities in Benue State.
He was appointed Deputy Director and later confirmed as full Director within the Centre for Entrepreneurship Growth, the Federal College of Agriculture Makurdi from 2013 – 2017.
He turned Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Water Assets and Setting Benue State the place he was instrumental within the design of the Idye Basin Section II (Police Zone 4 – Cellular Barracks) drainage.
In 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari accredited his appointment because the Govt Director of Engineering, at Decrease Benue River Basin Growth Authority Makurdi.
Throughout his quick keep on the Authority, he led the engineering group and supervised the development of many dams, bridges, roads, boreholes, and drainages, amongst different engineering initiatives.
What stakeholders are saying
- “He should be capable of create synergy.” – Arc Kabir Ibrahim – Previous President of All Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria
- “The minister should be capable of create synergy with all stakeholders within the Agriculture Area, he have to be targeted, competent and clear in implementing the nationwide agricultural expertise and innovation coverage (NATIP), to attain set milestones inside timeframes.”
- “The President should carefully monitor and continually consider the efficiency of all these appointed to drive Agriculture by the FMARD, particularly within the implementation of all his goals.”
NATIP is a coverage envisioned by the FMARD, working in collaboration with Nigerian agriculture and allied providers stakeholders.
The coverage goals to result in long-lasting financial and social change by private and non-private sector investments in agriculture and rural improvement, it was launched in 2022 as a coverage blueprint for Nigeria’s agricultural improvement.
Ibrahim acceded that there have been fairly a couple of who’re keen about agriculture among the many nominees and is assured that President Tinubu will get a succesful Minister of Agriculture from amongst them.
Whereas he pledged the cooperation of the non-public sector, particularly farmers, he warned that whoever finally emerges has quite a lot of work to do to reach the nation’s quest for the attainment of Meals Safety.
- “We can’t proceed to do trial and error.” – Mr Akin Alabi, agropreneur.
- “It’s time stakeholders within the Agric Ecosystem lend their voices to what is going to work for everybody and particularly for our Small Holder Farmers and everybody that’s enjoying actively inside the worth chain Enterprise.
- For me, it’s for a greater Nigeria that will probably be Meals Secured, ultimately, whoever will get the portfolio to drive Meals Safety and Meals programs within the nation has rather a lot to do and I cannot preserve quiet.
- I have to be concerned as a result of we are able to’t proceed to do the trial and error system.”
Construction and Oversight of the Agriculture Sector
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Growth (FMARD) is the first authorities physique liable for the agriculture sector in Nigeria.
It’s supported by numerous regional and state places of work, analysis institutes, faculties, and agriculture universities.
The ministry collaborates with different authorities entities, such because the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Funding, to manage agri-businesses and meals processing models.
The FMARD convenes the Nationwide Council on Agriculture and Rural Growth (NCARD) yearly, bringing collectively federal businesses, state-level officers, and different stakeholders to develop insurance policies. It’s saddled with making certain the efficient implementation of those insurance policies.
Outlook
Trying forward, the agriculture sector in Nigeria holds important alternatives for development and improvement.
The federal authorities goals to spice up the sector’s contribution to GDP and improve manufacturing. Efforts to enhance home manufacturing and scale back imports embody import controls, tariffs, and incentives for buyers within the meals processing and manufacturing segments.
The nation’s massive inhabitants and in depth shoreline additionally current alternatives for intra-African commerce, notably with the institution of the African Continental Free Commerce Settlement (AfCFTA).
Nigeria’s agriculture sector faces each challenges and alternatives in 2023.
With the precise insurance policies, investments, and initiatives, the sector has the potential to not solely meet home demand but additionally contribute considerably to the nation’s financial development and improvement.
Tinubu’s Guarantees
Barely 2 months after assuming workplace, President Tinubu has promised to supply 225,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, seedlings and different inputs to farmers who’re dedicated to the nation’s meals safety agenda.
He additionally promised to assist the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland and all-year-round farming observe. Particularly, he assured that N200 billion out of the N500 billion accredited by the Nationwide Meeting will probably be disbursed as follows:
- make investments N50 billion every to domesticate 150,000 hectares of rice and maize.
- N50 billion every will even be earmarked to domesticate 100,000 hectares of wheat and cassava.
“This expansive agricultural programme will probably be applied concentrating on small-holder farmers and leveraging large-scale non-public sector gamers within the agric enterprise with robust efficiency information,” Tinubu stated in a current broadcast to the nation.
It’s due to this fact important that whoever is appointed from the trio of Bagudu, Lokpobiri and Utsev or anybody exterior of those three as an agric minister, can be succesful sufficient to assist President Tinubu fulfil his guarantees and put the sector on a better pedestal to spice up productiveness and appeal to extra investments to the sector.
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