The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria Dr. Mohammed Abubakar said with the efforts of agro-preneurs in the country, the Agriculture sector has the potentials to increase its contribution to National GDP from 23% to 50% in 10years and actualise President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
The minister stated this at a Roundtable Discussion with stakeholders on Agro-preneurs success, Award citation/Presentation as parts of activities mark the 2021 World Food Day (WFD) celebrations with the theme “Our Actions are our Future. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”
Dr. Abubakar stated that the agriculture sector has the potential to be the key driver of job and wealth creation in the country noting that the sector has a long standing role in the country’s economy.
“Agriculture has a long-standing role in Nigeria’s economy with 70% of the population being engaged in the sector”
“The sector has the potential to be a key driver of growth, job and wealth creation given the country’s viable agro-ecological zones, youthful population and agro-industrial linkages, and to lift a sizable number of the population out of poverty. The 5.01% of the 2nd quarter, 2021 GDP increase was possible due to the investments in food processing and manufacturing” he added
He said the expectations for the agriculture sector to take Nigeria to the Promised Land could only be achieved when agro-preneurs take deliberate actions to invest in different value-chains.
“The potentials across crops, livestock, horticulture and fisheries sub-sectors are enormous. Therefore, it is the seriousness of entrepreneurs like some of you here that would add value to our produce and guarantee the revenue generation potentials of the sector”
The Minister told the agro-preneurs at the event that sharing their success stories would serve as motivation to teaming youths, who are the future of Nigeria; to see agriculture as a promising sector they could build a successful career.
World Food Day is celebrated annually by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and other development partners and stakeholders on the 16th October. The celebration happens in over 150 countries around the world.
This year’s celebration marked the 41st edition of the World Food Day in Nigeria, as well as marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the FAO.
The objective of the celebration is to promote worldwide effective action to end hunger, malnutrition, and poverty and ensure that everyone at all times and places have physical and economic access to nutritious food.
Dominica Nwabufo
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