AGRICULTURE THE BACKBONE OF BENUE ECONOMY AND WHY REV FATHER DR HYACINTH IORMEM ALIA PhD SHOULD PRIORITISE AGRICULTURE WHEN HE EVENTUALLY BECOME THE GOVERNOR OF BENUE STATE.
By Queen Hembadoon Atir
Your Excellency Sir, it is no doubt that the agricultural landscape in Benue State and indeed across Nigeria holds a lot of attraction for actors within the agricultural environment and even investors, especially now when the country is making conscientious efforts to look away from oil to her other natural resources.
Sir, before the discovery of crude oil, agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria's economy and accounted for an average of 57% of GDP and generated 65% of export earnings. Food output however declined after independence as focus shifted to oil. With the decline of oil prices, the Nigeria government introduced diversification with focus on growing the economy through agriculture.
Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in April 2020, showed that the agricultural sector contributes about 21.96 per cent to the nation's GDP, which is the monetary value of all finished goods and services made in the country.
Your Excellency Sir, Benue State as the food basket of the nation holds and stands tall in agricultural space in Nigeria unfortunately she lacks agricultural policies that will drive the cause for it actors as well it citizens in order to contribute hugely to the state Economy due to lack of policies and or lack of proper implementation of such politicies to boost agricultural Production in the State.
Benue State as agricultural hulb has no industries to reckon on for the transformation of agricultural produce to finished goods so as to create more value to farmers outputs and provide Jobs for the teeming youths in the state.
As a Reverend who have being with the people, who is the servant of the people, I trust you are aware of the numerous challenges bedevilling the state in this major sector of the economy from lack of Policy implementation, lack of funding for the agric sector, none support from the state government by providing agricultural inputs to farmers at subsidized rates and above all total negligence to the implementation of MoU to lure investors to invest to boom the sector in the state.
I solely believe your emergence will be a blessing to the people of Benue State as such we call on you, agriculture should be a pivotal sector and should be one among your key points agenda when you come into office.
Your Excellency, there are key agricultural policy instructions and reforms if taken into consideration and properly implemented will boost agricultural sector provide Jobs and bring the standard of living to the people.
The nature of these agricultural policy instruments is implemented through five kinds of instruments.
EXECUTIVE DECREES AND LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states the fundamental objectives and directive principle of state policy on food under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which emphasized that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that suitable and adequate food is provided for all citizens subject to availability of resources. Your Government should make Executive decrees and regislative reforms in line with Benue agricultural ideology.
The National Agricultural Seeds Act Cap. N5 Vol. 10 LFN 2004 for example seeks to regulate the development of the national seed system by establishing a council known as the National Agricultural Seed Council. This Council is given the responsibility for the overall policy guidelines and monitoring of the development of the national seed system.
The Act aims at analyzing and proposing programs, policies and actions regarding seed development as well as the seed industry. The overall objective of the Act is to harmonize the seed industry with other agricultural input industry in order to meet the increasing demand of the agricultural sector.
The National Crop Varieties and Livestock Breeds (Registration, etc.) Act Cap. N27 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 on another hand seeks to provide for detailed identification of management training needs in agriculture and rural development organization, and to develop and implement training programmes to meet the needs of managers in the agricultural and rural development sector of the Nigerian economy.
The Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund Act Cap. A10 LFN 2004 seeks to establish a Fund into which a certain sum of money is to be subscribed to in order to make provision for and guarantee loans granted for agricultural purposes by any bank. According to the Act, no loan granted pursuant to the Act shall not be applied for any purpose other than that for which such loan was granted. Criminal liability is prescribed for any person (including corporations) who applies such loans in contravention of the Act.
Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act Cap. A12 LFN 2004 the Agricultural research Council of Nigeria Act provides for the establishment of research institute by the Council. To this end, Nigeria has quite a number of agricultural institutions scattered all over the country such as the International Livestock Research Institute, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, the National Root Crop Research Institute etc.
Your Excellency, if similar Acts is applied to Benue Agricultural Sector, we will stand tall as a state to even compete with other Africa nations for food production, this will enable low income earners have access to capital to produce more.
INVESTMENT PROJECTS.
Your Excellency, Agriculture cannot thrive in the adsense of infrastructural development as such we urge your Government to give proper attention to connecting rural areas to the urban areas for effective movement of farm yields to the market.
I want to bring to your notice of the Tomato and Pepper plant Sen George Akume established which he couldn't complt and the importance of the factory to the people of Benue State. The Taraku mills, an integrated agro-processing company which was sighted in Gwer-east local government area of Benue State in 1986 among other abandoned industries should be resuscitated for the benefit of Benue people.
The Ber Agbum fish farm established by Gov Aper Aku and managed by Late Denen Daniel Atir which clamped down decades ago should also be given prompt attention for massive Fish Production in the State.
Your Excellency, the sighting of Yam flour industry in Zaki biam axis and fruit juice factories in lessel axis will be beneficial for the people as majority of those in this axis and beyond are hugely involved in the cultivation of yam and fruits respectively.
We urge you to create the environment, lure Investors such gigantic projects will not only boost agricultural activities but also boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the state to further deliver devidends of democracy to the people.
PROGRAMS
Your Excellency, programs which usually require significant numbers of field staff working with farmers, input supplies, processors and the like will go along well to educate farmers provide inputs, processors and knowledge how best to use them for effectiveness.
VOLUNTARY COLLABORATION BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
The Government under your watch should embrace the private sector, provide the enabling environment for doing business, lure Investors both internal and foreign through FDI to invest into the sector to boost production and give value to outputs and the people so as to encourage private investors to key in for the benefit of the society.
Conclusively, Instruments may be combined; a program may have an investment component, or may require an executive decree before it can be carried out. Legislation and decrees define the rules of the game and establish programs, such as guarantee funds, subsidies targeted on the poor, and the formation of water user associations, among many other examples and with this Benue State will be repostion to return and return to the land to feed the Nation and indeed the world.
Iortim Philemon Vasue,
For DG, Hembadoon Mobilization Network. SOURCE https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02ki6jnZ6JjZgr4kdB9JZYRK9oWKgcrSUVf1TQXwRKX7CK9Ug7jDkGAgrc2HcR6RPxl&id=100053804213808&sfnsn=scwspwaCc Mynd44 Lalasticlala Seun 
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