AGRICULTURE AND WEALTH CREATION IN WEST AFRICA

Agriculture has in no doubt been a practice man engage in (even right from the world creation), in order to provide food and shelter for the family. It involves the tilling of the ground, planting of seedlings to regenerate new life in multiple forms. Some understand this phenomenon and made headway in conquering poverty and created a lot of wealth both for them, family and for the nation at large, while some who doesn’t understand this scenario are left wondering and they missed out.
Although, right from day one, West Africa countries are known for Agriculture (production of livestock, food crops, cash crops etc.) until late 1980s, the introduction of white collar jobs from the western world. The location of West African on the world map (13.5317o N, 2.4604oW), climatic condition, soil composition and constituents, and all other factors, gave success to agricultural practices in the West Africa.
Recently, studies show that population increase and the need to provide housing facilities reduced the availability of land for agriculture, excluding other factors like low technical know-how, problems in adopting new method of farming, low communication and information dissemination among peasant farmers etc. Another major issue of agriculture of in West Africa is the issue of rural-urban migration, leaving and destroying the natural use of land in the rural areas.
However, it can never be argued that Agriculture is one of the major sectors of any economy. An attempt to wipe/reduce agriculture practices in a nation is a sure way to starvation. Because even to the clothes we wear are all from agriculture, the food, recreation/tourism (e.g. zoos, natural water bodies etc.) are also part of agriculture.


AGRICULTURE IN WEST AFRICA
Good soil fertility in West Africa gave progress to agriculture. Most of the crops, foods, and livestock are raised in West Africa. Some of the major Agricultural produces in West Africa include:
▷ Cocoa in Nigeria and Ghana
▷ Millet in Sierra Leone
▷ Coffee and cotton in Cameroon
▷ Shea nut butter in Benin republic
▷ Sorghum in Burkina Faso
▷ And lots more…
In West Africa, Agriculture accounts for 65% of employment and 35% of gross domestic products, but poverty remains high in rural areas where most of the population depends on agriculture to make a living.
Of no doubt, Agriculture is the major key to wealth creation, but understanding this is just a mirage for the people. Agriculture will make an economy grow by:
▷ Raising income
▷ Increasing exportation
▷ Reducing importation
▷ Giving rise to the country revenue
▷ Increasing the monetary value of the country
▷ Wiping off hunger
▷ Utilising and maintaining the natural use of land
▷ Preservation of natural resources
▷ Creating employment opportunities
▷ And lots more…
Talking about the importance of agriculture, we cannot but talk about how to solve the problems of agriculture in West Africa. Though Agriculture bodies have been set to cater for these problems, but below are some of the proffered solutions to the problems of agriculture in West Africa.
▷ Raising of capital for farmers
▷ West Africa needs to prioritize agriculture and rural development in their development agenda
▷ The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) must strive to solve major agricultural issues
▷ Innovate, generate, disseminate and adopt improved technologies
▷ Create enabling conditions for regional cooperation
▷ Build human and institutional capacity
▷ Create youth employment, engage women and adapt to climate change.
▷ Support the Go Back to Farm Campaign #GBF
Through all these, creating a very good and lasting wealth from agriculture will be sure, and there will be progress for agriculture in the western part of Africa. By this means, has Agromarketplace Nigeria Ltd. (http://www.agromerchant.com) has come up to give a reasonable solution to agriculture by taking agriculture to a greater level in the socio-economy sector. Socialising agriculture and uniting people to the farm has been our major aim and goal.