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An agriculturalist and former Chairman Agric, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (LCCI), Prince Wale Oyekoya, has called on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect, to address inherent problems limiting growth in the country’s agricultural sector.
In an interview with newsmen, Oyekoya said Tinubu had pledged to take the country up with “Renew Hope”, and in the next four years there should be marginal progress which the outgoing administration did not address; the fundamental issues that would drive growth.
“As the president-elect gets set to begin his four years term, farmers need irrigation, innovation, single digit interest rate, infrastructure and mechanisation to change the fortunes of Nigeria’s economy, employment, food provision and other spin-offs. We cannot grow our agriculture using cutlass and hoes anymore. Mechanisation and irrigation are vital if we are going to feed ourselves,” he said.
He says the government’s inability to provide critical infrastructure, such as motorable roads in rural communities, mechanisation and irrigation facilities, has contributed significantly to the decline in agriculture growth over the past few years.
Speaking further, he noted that most of the current interventions funds such as CACS and Anchor Borrower’s programme (ABP), were anti farmers as real farmers are not benefiting from it as the political and portfolio farmers benefited from these funds.
“BAT’s Renew Hope in agriculture agenda should do more on extension services delivery, invite critical stakeholders, fight food insecurity insurgency, introduce formidable policies and not somersaulting policies, more funding for research institutes to aid productivity. More farmlands for farmers. Reintroduce price marketing board,” he added.
Agro Nigeria / Foluke Ibitomi