The Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has been
named Forbes African of the Year for his reforms
in the country’s farming sector.
A report by Reuters quoted Forbes Africa’s Editor,
Mr. Chris Bishop, as saying, “He is a man on a
mission to help Africa feed itself.”
Adesina was chosen ahead of some of Africa’s
most prominent businesspeople: Aliko Dangote
and Jim Ovia, also from Nigeria; South Africa’s
Patrice Motsepe; and Zimbabwe’s Strive
Masiyiwa.
The report notes that although the country is one
of the world’s biggest oil exporters, most
Nigerians live in poverty, especially in the rural
areas.
Bishop said he hoped the award would
“encourage the rest of the continent to grow more
of its own food.”
Analysts say Nigeria’s economy has long been
dominated by oil, while agriculture has been
ignored, even though it supports far more people.
Adesina said he wanted to help the people to
become rich through farming. “My goal is to
make as many millionaires, maybe even
billionaires, from agriculture as possible,” he said,
in his acceptance speech.
Aliyu Tanko from the BBC Hausa says Mr. Adesina
has introduced more transparency into the supply
and distribution of fertiliser, which had previously
been marred by massive corruption.
Most Nigerians still live in poverty, especially in
the rural areas.
The minister has also urged Nigerians to grow
more food crops, especially cassava.
In January, Adesina announced a scheme to
hand out 10 million mobile phones to farmers to
“drive an agriculture revolution” so that they can
find out the latest market information.
The phones are also used to get vouchers for
seeds and fertiliser.
However, Reuters says this goal has not yet been
achieved, noting that there is no mobile network
coverage in many rural areas.
The main opposition party criticised the scheme
as a “mischievous vote-catching exercise.”


www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/forbes-names-akinwumi-adesina-african-of-the-year/