The Federal Government has urged all public officers to return to the farms for the nation to liberate itself from the periodic cycle of boom inter-laced with bust and meltdown.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made the call in Abuja Tuesday while speaking at the public presentation of the present administration's agricultural promotion
policy, 'The Green Alternative'.
The vice president noted that farming is the only conventional activity which the constitution of the country allows a public officer.
He said: "This agricultural revolution calls for us all to farm, even small vegetable farms. The only conventional activity that our constitution allows a public officer is farming. So, we have no excuse."
Osinbajo said President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Agriculture are farmers. So, they practice what they preach. The rest of us are being slowly converted!"
He stated: "It is an urgent call for the nation to embrace the truth that an oil-dependent economy would never provide enough for 170 million people and still grow in leaps and bounds."
Osinbajo commended President Buhari for his renewed vision of an agriculture-led economy as an alternative proposition to an oil dependent growth.
He said the administration realized the need to take difficult decisions in the immediate and short terms in order to repair the huge damage done especially by the dependence on oil and in not investing in infrastructure or in deepening the diversification of the economy, "or even building our reserves when oil sold at over $100 a barrel."
The vice president said the government knew it had to set the economy aright and put it on the path to inclusive growth with job opportunities for the nation's huge population.
According to him, "One of the most critical components of that plan is to position agriculture as the arrow-head of the economic recovery effort. There is no question at all that if we get agriculture right, we'll get our economy right. The road map we're about to present, identifies two key challenges. The first is the inability to meet domestic food requirements: this is a productivity challenge driven by an input system and farming model that is likely inefficient, the lack of good seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, crop protection, etc.
"And two: the inability to export at the level required for marketing which is typified by an inefficient system for setting and enforcing food quality, poor knowledge of target markets, a weak inspectorate system and poor coordination amongst relevant agencies. With great clarity, 'The Green Alternative' sets out strategies for resolving these challenges. I'm personally impressed that The road map does not dismiss the Agricultural policies of the past. Indeed, the policy says that it is “building on the successes of the agricultural transformation agenda, closing the gap.”
Osinbajo said the nation's problem had never been a lack of policy, but had always been the focus and capacity to stick to the plan as well as modify when necessary and ensure the plan aligns with all aspects of the economic plan of the government.
lalasticlala,mynd44

emamos:
Tell dat to ur children and relatives at cbn,firs,nnpc and co.

PUSH1:


Why do you think its a bad idea.
Farmers among the richest on earth.
Just tell d fg to provide better incentives for farming.

topeayan:
Prof is high again.......With cutlass and hoe abi.......Now I understand dat Buhari nd his VP does not wish us well........Your Children in CBN and we in farm........Nonsense