Boosting agriculture

There is no doubt that Nigerians have been experiencing ‘change’ as the Federal Government is working assiduously to drastically reduce overdependence on crude oil and foreign goods in order to diversify the economy. This will stimulate economic growth and development and bail Nigeria out of economic recession.

It is well known that many industries in Nigeria depend on agriculture for raw materials. Today, some of these industries are either folding up completely or operating below the optimum level due to the lack or inadequacy of raw materials. And the overriding effects are unemployment, underemployment, low income and low level of economic growth and development.

In an attempt to strengthen the economy, successive governments in Nigeria, particularly at the state level, have tried to revive ailing industries and establish new ones. But agriculture, which forms the bedrock for some of these industries, needs to be boosted to guarantee sustainable industrial growth and development in this country.

In the analysis of the ‘taungya’ system of agriculture, cash crops or plants (i.e economic crops) can be planted with food crops for food, income and industrialisation. Cash crops like oil palm, cocoa, coconut, cashew and  citrus, among others,   and different varieties of plants can be boosted in Nigeria, especially at the state levels.

This can be done at the local government areas of the various states of the federation depending on the soil type, structure and  conditions and the geographical location of the area as well as the seed efficacy.

Private organisations, particularly in the field of agriculture, as well as individual farmers, need to be sensitised and encouraged.

Agricultural officers should be involved in coordinating these activities  in order to guarantee professionalism and the success of such programmes.

It should be noted that most of the economic crops can continue to flourish and yield prolifically without outgrowing their economic life span for over 40 years.

In a nutshell, let us use the ‘taungya’ agricultural system in Nigeria. That done, the country will become one of the focal areas in terms of industrial and agricultural development in the world.

Olarewaju Ajayi

Owo, Ondo State