Nasarawa State Government Charges Private sector To Invest In Agriculture

By Amina Mohammed, Lafia

The private sector has been charged to invest more in agriculture to boost food security and to make the sector regains its full potential as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy. The call was made by the Nasarawa state Governor Abdullahi Sule at the annual National Agricultural Show, organized by the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria, held in the Karu Local Government Area of the state.

The Governor represented by the State Commissioner of Agriculture and Water Resources, Hon. Nuhu Oshafu emphasizes the need for stakeholders to intensify efforts toward agricultural practices to ensure food security in the country.

He explained that his administration has evolved new techniques in empowering small, medium, and large-scale farmers to achieve optimum productivity and create a mechanized farming environment in the state.

“This administration has continued to subsidize fertilizer and other farm inputs for optimum productivity and by extension encourage our teeming youths to venture into agriculture as an occupation. Government is committed to creating employment opportunities for the youths as well as enhancing agricultural production that will serve the double purpose of providing food security and value chain in addition to the national economy in recognition of the fundamental role agriculture plays in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Our administration has also created enablement which attracted development partners such as Dangote Group of Companies, AZMAN Farms, Flour Mills, Golden Penny, among others to the state,” Sule noted.

The Governor further stated that his administration was constructing and rehabilitating both Urban and rural roads with the view to providing necessary infrastructure and social amenities such as water, electricity, and Vocational training among others to encourage agriculture among youths.

He, therefore commended the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria for its consistency in organizing the annual event, describing the effort as an impetus to all stakeholders to intensify efforts towards agricultural practices.

Speaking, the Chairman, of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in the state, Mr. Samuel Meshi, decried the low turnout of participants at the program given the fact that the agricultural show was a national event.

“This event is not viewed as a local event of Nasarawa state but it is a national event. All other states should be encouraged to participate because if you look at it now, we just have about two or three states that are here,” he said.

He, therefore, appealed to the Nasarawa government to subsidize the high cost of fertilizer inputs, improve security for farmers and mitigate the impact of flooding in the state.

Voice of Nigeria reports that the theme of the 2022 Agricultural Show, “Small Holder Farming: The Challenges of Climate Change, Insecurity and Production Costs” was attended by stakeholders in the agricultural sector and farmers across the country.