damosky: IT IS BETTER TO EXTEND OUR FOCUS AS A NATION TO THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR RATHER THAN MAJOR IN OIL AND GAS (SUPPORTING)



According to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s data (2003), Oil still accounts for our major revenue (gearing towards 80%) and almost 100% of our export earnings. Although Agriculture (particularly forestry, livestock and fishing) is shown to serve as the major activity of the majority of Nigerians; it is clear that we indulge in agriculture purely as personal survival strategies rather than as a calculated effort to warming the engine of our countries economy. This is really where our National economic problem lies.


As a well brought up Yoruba boy it would be bad of me not to give honour to whom is due by saying good day distinguish panel of judges, wonderful coordinators, fellow debaters, very informed audience, ladies and gentlemen, I am damoskiy representing the University of Lagos.


The gospel of economic salvation cannot be preached without due regard to agricultural development. Agriculture is the major and most certain path to economic growth and sustainability. It encompasses all aspect of human activities - being the art, act, a cultural necessity and science of production of goods through cultivation of land and management of plants and animals which creates an activity web-chain that satisfies social and economic needs. Agriculture is the mainstay of mankind; therefore wise nations all over the globe give it a priority by developing and exploiting this sector for the upkeep of their teeming populations through the earning of revenue for development purposes; as well as employment for the stemming down crimes, corruption and other forms of indiscipline which work against all factors of life, living and most of all economic production. While many nations in the world are working hard and reaping their harvests in this direction, Nigeria happens to belong among the few that have greatly retarded from their past glorious heights in agriculture, down to a near zero scale of agricultural production.


With an expansive landmass covering 923.771km2, an estimated arable land of about 68 million hectare; abundance of natural forest and rangeland covering 37 million hectares. Varieties of livestock and wide life, an agricultural friendly climate, coastal and marine resources of over 960km shoreline, expansive rivers and lakes covering 120,000 square kilometer and large consumer market as depicted by National population of over 150 million in 2006 (now estimated to be about 200million). Large regional and continental markets, as well as the ever increasing world market exist for the reaping of the potentials that agriculture can offer any economy. Nigeria has great agricultural potentials that will outpace oil and gas on the long run. That notwithstanding, the country has had a history of agricultural prowess in the past, so, if it could work then, it surely will work better now, if judiciously and positively articulated. This is only possible if our oil-misdirected governments can start looking inwardly for other sources of revenue other than oil with an honest bid to boost agricultural production.


The importance of Agriculture cannot generally be over-emphasized in Nigeria. With poverty having finally taken resident permit in Nigeria in - although we were warned against it by Professor Pat Utomi in 2003, we cannot get out of it today by just relying on oil and gas. We cannot pretend to neglect the importance of Agriculture in the economic forward-wheeling of our nation.
Nigeria is blessed with a wide variety of agricultural potentials, ranging from varieties of crops to varieties of animals and plants and natural agricultural-supportive factors like forests, waters, sands and most of all human resources that are being under-used. We have it all, yet we lack it all; and that is why we are hungry in the face of plenty to eat.


As a protagonist of agricultural development, I believe that Nigeria’s economic development can only be realistic through the total resuscitation of our agricultural sector. This will propel the sector to produce food and fibres to feed our people and the industry at a rate faster than the birth-rate; yet reducing the death rate. The injection of vigour into the agricultural sector will also fasten the creation of self-reliance, self-contentment and self-sufficiency (which will be translated to National sufficiency). Adequate supply of raw materials for industries, increased foreign reserve; and increase in the export of non-oil commodities and improvement in the standard of living of the masses are issues that a revitalised agricultural system can provide. This will encourage the growth of a physically fit and mentally alert population. Succinctly put, the development of the agricultural sector will generally improve the revenue generation of our nation and discourage our over-reliance on oil and gas which has created a ‘Dutch disease’ for the Nigerian economy. The economic independence which the agricultural sector can offer this nation (if developed) will undoubtedly propel us to political and economic independence, which we cannot truly boast of today as a debtor and borrower nation. Rural and urban development, rural and urban employment; and of course the control of urban migration and general development of other sectors of the economy will be the positive chain reactions of an improved Agricultural sector. All these can only be possible if the Federal government can increase its budgetary allocation to agriculture to a reasonable level in order to aid adequate research in the sector as well as enhance production, education and general management of the sector. This will boost the food and science technology industry, the chemical industry, banking / finance industry, the export business, the agro-franchise and industries; and even enhance the Federal government’s policy on National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP).


Our government is still suffering from this “Jonah Complex” which has made it unthinkable for it to embrace agriculture as a true solution to our economic death. The government should embrace Agriculture with more confidence because good agricultural policies and implementation still is the only “big fish” that can transport our economy to the path of recovery and boom. Thank you for reading.


REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Nigeria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Nigeria
http://www.gamji.com/article4000/NEWS4400.htm

Miscellaneous: second speaker of aaua... we are waiting

Ayomitide77: A minute please

gbemmie09: As stated by Egbuna (1989), the entire
corporate workforce of NNPC has grown
to about 18000 people spanning
through their major areas of activities
nation wide. Although this number is
considered large for a single
cooperation. It is even infirmitesimal
when one imagines the up to one million
Nigerians who are directly or indirectly
earning their living from the activities in
the petroleum sector of the economy
from the upstream to the downstream
sector I.e from exploration to drilling
and refining down to distribution
marking of the product.

Ayomitide77: When is the rebuttals starting?

gbemmie09: There had
been a remarkable increase in the
foreign investment and this is made
possible by the oil wealth. This foreign
investment have however, provided
employment for Nigerians, created
goods and services in the economy and
stimulated the growth of subsidiary
firms.

gbemmie09: It has also helped in positive economic
growth and development since the oil
revenue constitute the bulk of the
government income right from 1970s,
noticeable projects and investments
have been carried out successfully with
the revenue. This is evident in the rapid
increase in the economy's wealth of
infrastructural facilities and amenities
within the period of oil boom. Revenue
from the oil in the 1970s formed the
catalytic substantially the height of
development of the Nigeria economy.
Thus, it was during the period that
Nigeria was decorated with the
accolade "THE GIANT OF AFRICA

snoopy:

1 million? that figure is bogus and highly questionable ma'am, even to the most ignorant Nigerian, do you by any chance have any references to establish the credibility of these figures?