Agriculture Promotion Policy and Resource Survey
Agriculture Promotion Policy and Resource Survey
In revamping the agriculture sector of Nigeria, a new policy framework was employed to rebuilding an ailing but potentially viable sector of the economy through financial inclusiveness and import ban.
This led to Agricultural Transformation Agenda, ATA, designed to re invigorate the focus back to farming, both as source of income rather than an add-ons, minimize food imports and serve as enviable alternative source of balance of trade. This agenda was made to run through 2011-2016 with roll out plans to rediscovering agriculture.
The policy thrust faced its own challenges as key performance indicators were not fully achieved; evidence among them are; high level of food imports, food wastage and limited foreign reserve earning. However, the initiative also witness some notable achievements;
Growth Enhancement Scheme: E-wallet
Boost agriculture lending by 5%
Heighten investors confidence
Comeback of commodity marketing board, creation of Federal Agriculture Extension and introduction of new higher yielding crops.
Selected commodities and cash crops prioritized in terms of productivity, with noticeable gaps in meeting the estimated demand projected vis-a-vis supply are;
Rice 36.5%
Wheat 1.27%
Maize 93.33%
Soyabeans 80%
Yam 94.87%
Tomato 36.36%
Sorghum 88.57%
Milk/Diary 30%
Closing the gaps therefore necessitate the emergence of an all encompassing and refresh strategy called Agricultural Promotion Policy, APP
APP is a strategy designed to produce enough fresh, high quality foods for the Nigerian market and earn foreign exchange for the country. It is a robust balance approach to attaining enriching food domestication and food exportation.
Just like the former, intending intervention to cushioning possible impediments to its realization were projected under three theme;
Productivity
Financing
Regulatory
Teams were selected to identify constraints and key policy to tackling potential challenges
Productivity under this thematic policy entails expansion of market accessibility, reduction in post harvest loss, coupled with their corresponding proposed solutions
Going through the recent Nigerian agricultural policy and strategy document, it is advisable that the handlers employed organic resource management survey in assessing a workable and sustainable data in actualizing APP mandate
I would always advance rural and women farming course because they produce 80% of our food. Fresh, organic foods come from these groups.
It is obvious that banks would rarely lend money to rural farming because this groups are perceived to be high risk segment. Let alone the enhancement of use of title land for collateral in securing loans
The answer to food domestication lies in part with the marriage between the leadership of Federal Dept of Agriculture Extension and Research Network, ARCN. This units have a lot to do in documenting the overall activities and strength of rural farming practices leveraging on CDAs, community leaders within each suburbs in the 774LGs. Comprehensive information and projection on farm produce type, farmer class, yield size, soil analysis, etc should be channel bottom up. Hence the need to integrate resource survey into this matrix.
Employing the use of Agriculture Resource Management Survey which is a primary source of information should open up the heartbeat of those who produce our food in real time as regards production, resource use, well being and major constraints to food security, market accessibility etc.
You could not imagine how suppliers (women) of agricultural produce are continuously attack, raped while their male counterpart are beating to stupor or kill by deviants who consistently disguise as security force to unleash their deeds on victims while transporting produce to various open markets in Nigeria.
It is the norm to dress in rag, pay ransom or burden with constant fear just to make end meet as a supplier of sort. Not mentioning extortion palaver.
One of ATA shortcomings was attributed to unverified data. Questions like
How many rural and corporate farmers do we have in the past and now in Nigeria?
How many are women?
What is the estimation of their land mass?
What is their well being?
Is farming their core profession?
What farming practice is employed?
Parity between mono-culture based farming to others
How do they source finance?
What is the ratio of farm costs and return? The lists go on
Resource survey helps to give a dependable farm income / cost which could be access by various stake holders besides production estimates
It is a veritable tools to projecting trends in farmer exit and entry
It is key to categorization; start up farmers, ranchers, limited resource farmers, social disadvantaged, corporate, and rural farmers
Traceability of food source in case of safety and quality becomes superfluous.
Good for comparative advantage among 774LGs, etc.
It makes commodity marketing board effective, builds farmers confidence and enhance job creation.
Gives timely information on farmers demographic and so on
APP policy thrust and objectives revolves around;
Food Security
Import Substitution
Job Creation
Economic Diversification
Rural farming is key to food security. It is the gateway to food domestication. Before now, it was family farming that supplied over 95% of Nigeria's food needs, 60% of GDP and 70% of its export using traditional practices and crude methods.
More than 70% of arable lands in Nigeria are either own by a family or runs by individuals for agricultural purposes. Countries like Fiji, Brazil and US among others have demonstrated the resourcefulness of small scale farming towards upholding self reliance
Self reliance is the capability of a community or territory to produce, harvest, processed, distribute, market and consume its own food. Without gain saying, twin roles of job creation, import substitution would definitely enhance diversification, step rural urban migration, income redistribution and spur local development
As comprehensive as APP policy thrust canvassed, it is imperative that biometric yet pragmatic data gathering activities which worked best for a country like ours is embraced. Access to information knowledge has being highlighted as a vital tool to increase agriculture productivity and improve agribusiness. However, organic management and transfer of knowledge would guarantee the right information required at the right time for decision making.
Resource management survey would enhance pragmatic, organic availability of information and knowledge for policy makers and stakeholders
In revamping the agriculture sector of Nigeria, a new policy framework was employed to rebuilding an ailing but potentially viable sector of the economy through financial inclusiveness and import ban.
This led to Agricultural Transformation Agenda, ATA, designed to re invigorate the focus back to farming, both as source of income rather than an add-ons, minimize food imports and serve as enviable alternative source of balance of trade. This agenda was made to run through 2011-2016 with roll out plans to rediscovering agriculture.
The policy thrust faced its own challenges as key performance indicators were not fully achieved; evidence among them are; high level of food imports, food wastage and limited foreign reserve earning. However, the initiative also witness some notable achievements;
Growth Enhancement Scheme: E-wallet
Boost agriculture lending by 5%
Heighten investors confidence
Comeback of commodity marketing board, creation of Federal Agriculture Extension and introduction of new higher yielding crops.
Selected commodities and cash crops prioritized in terms of productivity, with noticeable gaps in meeting the estimated demand projected vis-a-vis supply are;
Rice 36.5%
Wheat 1.27%
Maize 93.33%
Soyabeans 80%
Yam 94.87%
Tomato 36.36%
Sorghum 88.57%
Milk/Diary 30%
Closing the gaps therefore necessitate the emergence of an all encompassing and refresh strategy called Agricultural Promotion Policy, APP
APP is a strategy designed to produce enough fresh, high quality foods for the Nigerian market and earn foreign exchange for the country. It is a robust balance approach to attaining enriching food domestication and food exportation.
Just like the former, intending intervention to cushioning possible impediments to its realization were projected under three theme;
Productivity
Financing
Regulatory
Teams were selected to identify constraints and key policy to tackling potential challenges
Productivity under this thematic policy entails expansion of market accessibility, reduction in post harvest loss, coupled with their corresponding proposed solutions
Going through the recent Nigerian agricultural policy and strategy document, it is advisable that the handlers employed organic resource management survey in assessing a workable and sustainable data in actualizing APP mandate
I would always advance rural and women farming course because they produce 80% of our food. Fresh, organic foods come from these groups.
It is obvious that banks would rarely lend money to rural farming because this groups are perceived to be high risk segment. Let alone the enhancement of use of title land for collateral in securing loans
The answer to food domestication lies in part with the marriage between the leadership of Federal Dept of Agriculture Extension and Research Network, ARCN. This units have a lot to do in documenting the overall activities and strength of rural farming practices leveraging on CDAs, community leaders within each suburbs in the 774LGs. Comprehensive information and projection on farm produce type, farmer class, yield size, soil analysis, etc should be channel bottom up. Hence the need to integrate resource survey into this matrix.
Employing the use of Agriculture Resource Management Survey which is a primary source of information should open up the heartbeat of those who produce our food in real time as regards production, resource use, well being and major constraints to food security, market accessibility etc.
You could not imagine how suppliers (women) of agricultural produce are continuously attack, raped while their male counterpart are beating to stupor or kill by deviants who consistently disguise as security force to unleash their deeds on victims while transporting produce to various open markets in Nigeria.
It is the norm to dress in rag, pay ransom or burden with constant fear just to make end meet as a supplier of sort. Not mentioning extortion palaver.
One of ATA shortcomings was attributed to unverified data. Questions like
How many rural and corporate farmers do we have in the past and now in Nigeria?
How many are women?
What is the estimation of their land mass?
What is their well being?
Is farming their core profession?
What farming practice is employed?
Parity between mono-culture based farming to others
How do they source finance?
What is the ratio of farm costs and return? The lists go on
Resource survey helps to give a dependable farm income / cost which could be access by various stake holders besides production estimates
It is a veritable tools to projecting trends in farmer exit and entry
It is key to categorization; start up farmers, ranchers, limited resource farmers, social disadvantaged, corporate, and rural farmers
Traceability of food source in case of safety and quality becomes superfluous.
Good for comparative advantage among 774LGs, etc.
It makes commodity marketing board effective, builds farmers confidence and enhance job creation.
Gives timely information on farmers demographic and so on
APP policy thrust and objectives revolves around;
Food Security
Import Substitution
Job Creation
Economic Diversification
Rural farming is key to food security. It is the gateway to food domestication. Before now, it was family farming that supplied over 95% of Nigeria's food needs, 60% of GDP and 70% of its export using traditional practices and crude methods.
More than 70% of arable lands in Nigeria are either own by a family or runs by individuals for agricultural purposes. Countries like Fiji, Brazil and US among others have demonstrated the resourcefulness of small scale farming towards upholding self reliance
Self reliance is the capability of a community or territory to produce, harvest, processed, distribute, market and consume its own food. Without gain saying, twin roles of job creation, import substitution would definitely enhance diversification, step rural urban migration, income redistribution and spur local development
As comprehensive as APP policy thrust canvassed, it is imperative that biometric yet pragmatic data gathering activities which worked best for a country like ours is embraced. Access to information knowledge has being highlighted as a vital tool to increase agriculture productivity and improve agribusiness. However, organic management and transfer of knowledge would guarantee the right information required at the right time for decision making.
Resource management survey would enhance pragmatic, organic availability of information and knowledge for policy makers and stakeholders
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