₦airaland Forum

In a bid to diversify the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the Federal Government would not treat agriculture as a development programme but rather as serious business.

Speaking on behalf of the President in Calabar, Alhaji Umar Farouk, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development said the government will be supporting the private sector agriculture chain.

Buhari said this while declaring open the 55th Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

“Agriculture must cease from being treated as development programme; Agriculture must be treated as business.”

“Our goal will be to pursue government supported private sector agriculture value chain to make agriculture more productive, efficient and competitive.

“To provide enough food for domestic supply and create jobs through agriculture value chain,” Buhari said.

Buhari noted that Nigeria had the richest agriculture based mineral resources in Africa which means it does not need to import agricultural produce if the right investments are made.

Meanwhile, the new president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Nigeria’s former minister of agriculture, Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina has vowed to eradicate poverty in Africa through infrastructural development, job creation, regional integration and development of agriculture at the rural level.http://www..ng/2015/06/05/my-government-will-focus-on-agriculture-not-oil-buhari/

.

I just pray you really try and continue from where the past Government stopped in boosting the agricultural sector . Our Leaders should learn to build and not just spend Money.

Ok

I believe we need to grow this sector and food is also another means by which we lose foreign exchange. If we have to spend less than we do on buying food from outside, we will be saving our economy a lot of stress.

Then we need to start refining our local demand of petroleum products which is in place now by Dangote and Oando.

But I hope the Government realizes that the index that will be used to assess agricultural growth includes
1. Cheaper food in the market
2. An increase in food output
3. Greater income for the farmers
4. Less imports

I pray so,buh make sure you dont pour all our money to the north.

Good one!

At least 'they' will now enjoy their Oyel

,

What's stopping him from being minister of agric instead of minister of petroleum?

Good for his govt.

Hope he would't deny it later.

And b4 doing this he shld stablise world oil price first.

Don't forget mining too. Those useless oyel crew can now shut their smelly mouths

Sai Buhari

Justpassingby45:
Good for his govt.

Hope he would't deny it later.

And b4 doing this he shld stablise world oil price first.

Can you show me the exact quote, video or reliable a source

I hope Buhari will not come tomorrow and deny the statement? We all know how he has been denying his promises.

Well since Buhari spoke through a representative, I will take this as a misfire

Ohammadike:
In a bid to diversify the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the Federal Government would not treat agriculture as a development programme but rather as serious business.

Speaking on behalf of the President in Calabar, Alhaji Umar Farouk, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development said the government will be supporting the private sector agriculture chain.

Buhari said this while declaring open the 55th Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

“Agriculture must cease from being treated as development programme; Agriculture must be treated as business.”

“Our goal will be to pursue government supported private sector agriculture value chain to make agriculture more productive, efficient and competitive.

“To provide enough food for domestic supply and create jobs through agriculture value chain,” Buhari said.

Buhari noted that Nigeria had the richest agriculture based mineral resources in Africa which means it does not need to import agricultural produce if the right investments are made.

Meanwhile, the new president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Nigeria’s former minister of agriculture, Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina has vowed to eradicate poverty in Africa through infrastructural development, job creation, regional integration and development of agriculture at the rural level.http://www..ng/2015/06/05/my-government-will-focus-on-agriculture-not-oil-buhari/

Believe this at your own peril

An endless stream of fake pointless news to give the impression that president and his team have not appeared in public to interact with the press since inauguration.

Buhari and his alamjiris will not claim what's not theirs.



Why Agriculture Is Nigeria's New Oil
http://www.forbes.com/sites/skollworldforum/2013/10/10/why-agriculture-is-nigerias-new-oil/

In the lead up to the 2013 Borlaug Dialogue, the Skoll World Forum is featuring several keynote speakers writing at the nexus of three subjects central to the global challenges we face in the 21st century: biotechnology, sustainability, and climate volatility. The 2013 Borlaug Dialogue takes place October 16-18 in Des Moines, Iowa. View the full series here.

As Nigeria’s Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is championing agricultural investments in one of Africa’s fastest growing economies through bold policy reforms

[b]Much is said about a rising Africa on the global economic stage. To be sure, there is a new energy and dynamism across the continent. It can be seen in an emerging middle class, improved governance, and a heightened interest by foreign investors. But amidst this excitement, there remains a disturbing paradox. Africa is a continent with enormous potential for agricultural growth, yet one where food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread and persistent.

Agriculture is fundamental to every country’s prosperity, security and sovereignty. In the United States, farmers, processors, researchers and policy-makers at all levels work together to promote and ensure a vibrant agricultural economy. The result is that Americans enjoy not only an abundant food supply, but also nutritional choices and affordability. Africa is now beginning to understand the critical link between agriculture and prosperity. In Nigeria, we’re making agriculture the new oil.

Nigeria was largely self-sufficient in food in the 1960s. Then, we discovered oil and became too dependent on this resource as the economic driver of growth, export income and development. We abandoned our farmers. Yields stagnated. Investments in infrastructure were redirected. Rural communities slid into poverty. We became a food-importing country, spending an average $11 billion a year on wheat, rice, sugar and fish imports alone.

And yet we have an abundance of resources – 84 million hectares of arable land, two of Africa’s largest rivers, and a large and young workforce to support agricultural intensification. Plus we have 167 million consumers to support increased food production and processing.


But potential alone is not enough; we had to find a way to unlock it. We needed a major transformation of our agricultural sector. The change had to be across the entire value chain – from field to mill to table. So in 2011, we launched the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, with the goal of adding 20 million metric tons of food to the domestic supply by 2015. And in the process, create 3.5 million new jobs in agriculture and food-related industries.


Our first decision was to stop looking at agriculture as a government-run, charitable development program across rural Nigeria. We now treat agriculture as a business. Government’s role is simple: to create the enabling environment, policies and incentives for a private sector-led transformation to flourish.

Our focus would be on creating eco-systems in which small, medium and large-scale farmers would not only co-exist, but flourish together. We would do more than plant new fields. We would also create value-added foodstuffs from our staple crops through an aggressive import-substitution program and policies that would encourage new investment in food production and promote agriculture sustainability and resilience. We needed to begin to think of, and instill in others, the concept of agriculture as a business.

We ended four decades of corruption in the fertilizer and seed sectors. We took government out of a distribution system that benefited an elite group of farmers at the expense of Nigeria’s smallholder farmers.

We also launched a Growth Enhancement Scheme to provide subsidized inputs to farmers. And we developed an Electronic Wallet System which has allowed 5 million smallholder farmers to receive subsidized electronic vouchers for seeds and fertilizers on their mobile phones. Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop and use mobile phones to reach farmers with subsidized farm inputs.

Today seed and fertilizer companies are selling directly to farmers, not to the government. Supply chains are being developed to reach farmers in rural areas. Banks are loaning money to companies and agro dealers.

We have set a target to become self-sufficient in rice by 2015 by providing quality seeds, fertilizers and other support to our rice farmers. In just one year Nigeria unleashed a rice revolution and produced more than 50 per cent of all its rice needs. Private sector responded with 14 new industrial-scale rice mills, making high-quality local rice available on the market.

We are reducing our yearly $4 billion wheat import cost through a cassava flour substitution policy to replace imported wheat flour with high-quality, home-grown cassava flour in producing bread. The government is supporting private sector investment in large-scale cassava processing plants. We are also developing the cassava value chain by producing starch that can be utilized in sweeteners to reduce sugar imports.

The result of these combined efforts is that Nigeria will meet its food production targets. In the first year of our transformation push, we reached almost half of our five year food production target. We also reached over 75 percent of our job creation target.

The UN recently recognized Nigeria for meeting the Millennium Development Goal #1, reducing the population of hungry people by half, three years ahead of schedule. We did this by growing more food, raising farm incomes and creating jobs in farming and food processing – not simply by managing poverty. This is a new dawn. Agriculture was Nigeria’s past; and in agriculture – as a business- lies Nigeria’s greater future.[/b]

I thought he said he will stabilize the prize of crude oil

Wahala yaa zo . . .LMAO

atlwireles:
Buhari and his alamjiris will not claim what's not theirs.



Why Agriculture Is Nigeria's New Oil
http://www.forbes.com/sites/skollworldforum/2013/10/10/why-agriculture-is-nigerias-new-oil/

In the lead up to the 2013 Borlaug Dialogue, the Skoll World Forum is featuring several keynote speakers writing at the nexus of three subjects central to the global challenges we face in the 21st century: biotechnology, sustainability, and climate volatility. The 2013 Borlaug Dialogue takes place October 16-18 in Des Moines, Iowa. View the full series here.

As Nigeria’s Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is championing agricultural investments in one of Africa’s fastest growing economies through bold policy reforms

[b]Much is said about a rising Africa on the global economic stage. To be sure, there is a new energy and dynamism across the continent. It can be seen in an emerging middle class, improved governance, and a heightened interest by foreign investors. But amidst this excitement, there remains a disturbing paradox. Africa is a continent with enormous potential for agricultural growth, yet one where food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread and persistent.

Agriculture is fundamental to every country’s prosperity, security and sovereignty. In the United States, farmers, processors, researchers and policy-makers at all levels work together to promote and ensure a vibrant agricultural economy. The result is that Americans enjoy not only an abundant food supply, but also nutritional choices and affordability. Africa is now beginning to understand the critical link between agriculture and prosperity. In Nigeria, we’re making agriculture the new oil.

Nigeria was largely self-sufficient in food in the 1960s. Then, we discovered oil and became too dependent on this resource as the economic driver of growth, export income and development. We abandoned our farmers. Yields stagnated. Investments in infrastructure were redirected. Rural communities slid into poverty. We became a food-importing country, spending an average $11 billion a year on wheat, rice, sugar and fish imports alone.

And yet we have an abundance of resources – 84 million hectares of arable land, two of Africa’s largest rivers, and a large and young workforce to support agricultural intensification. Plus we have 167 million consumers to support increased food production and processing.


But potential alone is not enough; we had to find a way to unlock it. We needed a major transformation of our agricultural sector. The change had to be across the entire value chain – from field to mill to table. So in 2011, we launched the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, with the goal of adding 20 million metric tons of food to the domestic supply by 2015. And in the process, create 3.5 million new jobs in agriculture and food-related industries.


Our first decision was to stop looking at agriculture as a government-run, charitable development program across rural Nigeria. We now treat agriculture as a business. Government’s role is simple: to create the enabling environment, policies and incentives for a private sector-led transformation to flourish.

Our focus would be on creating eco-systems in which small, medium and large-scale farmers would not only co-exist, but flourish together. We would do more than plant new fields. We would also create value-added foodstuffs from our staple crops through an aggressive import-substitution program and policies that would encourage new investment in food production and promote agriculture sustainability and resilience. We needed to begin to think of, and instill in others, the concept of agriculture as a business.

We ended four decades of corruption in the fertilizer and seed sectors. We took government out of a distribution system that benefited an elite group of farmers at the expense of Nigeria’s smallholder farmers.

We also launched a Growth Enhancement Scheme to provide subsidized inputs to farmers. And we developed an Electronic Wallet System which has allowed 5 million smallholder farmers to receive subsidized electronic vouchers for seeds and fertilizers on their mobile phones. Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop and use mobile phones to reach farmers with subsidized farm inputs.

Today seed and fertilizer companies are selling directly to farmers, not to the government. Supply chains are being developed to reach farmers in rural areas. Banks are loaning money to companies and agro dealers.

We have set a target to become self-sufficient in rice by 2015 by providing quality seeds, fertilizers and other support to our rice farmers. In just one year Nigeria unleashed a rice revolution and produced more than 50 per cent of all its rice needs. Private sector responded with 14 new industrial-scale rice mills, making high-quality local rice available on the market.

We are reducing our yearly $4 billion wheat import cost through a cassava flour substitution policy to replace imported wheat flour with high-quality, home-grown cassava flour in producing bread. The government is supporting private sector investment in large-scale cassava processing plants. We are also developing the cassava value chain by producing starch that can be utilized in sweeteners to reduce sugar imports.

The result of these combined efforts is that Nigeria will meet its food production targets. In the first year of our transformation push, we reached almost half of our five year food production target. We also reached over 75 percent of our job creation target.

The UN recently recognized Nigeria for meeting the Millennium Development Goal #1, reducing the population of hungry people by half, three years ahead of schedule. We did this by growing more food, raising farm incomes and creating jobs in farming and food processing – not simply by managing poverty. This is a new dawn. Agriculture was Nigeria’s past; and in agriculture – as a business- lies Nigeria’s greater future.[/b]

No one can find d most Useless comment like yours.

Great coming from SAI BABA !!!!

P- lease.
M- ove.
B- uhari.

But you promised to stabilise international oil prices?

donpope1:
What's stopping him from being minister of agric instead of minister of petroleum?

thank you. This is excatly what I wanted to say.

donpope1:
What's stopping him from being minister of agric instead of minister of petroleum?

Because the revenue from Oil is needed to fund those Agricultural programs. Why does he needs to use 'your' oil money for that? Because all the investments (govt share) done in the oil sector were funded by the FG using our collective wealth. In like manner, our collective wealth is needed to fund other prgrams.

But remember, if these programs are funded judiciously, there will be more jobs created, more business oportunities and more revenue for the goverment.

I have a feeling that this New Nigeria will favor the youth that have foresight... Proudly Agricultural Engineer..

This is the best way to go.........In several decades from now, when oil begins to dwindle, agriculture will continue to flourish.

Ohammadike:
In a bid to diversify the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the Federal Government would not treat agriculture as a development programme but rather as serious business.

Speaking on behalf of the President in Calabar, Alhaji Umar Farouk, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development said the government will be supporting the private sector agriculture chain.

Buhari said this while declaring open the 55th Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

“Agriculture must cease from being treated as development programme; Agriculture must be treated as business.”

“Our goal will be to pursue government supported private sector agriculture value chain to make agriculture more productive, efficient and competitive.

“To provide enough food for domestic supply and create jobs through agriculture value chain,” Buhari said.

Buhari noted that Nigeria had the richest agriculture based mineral resources in Africa which means it does not need to import agricultural produce if the right investments are made.

Meanwhile, the new president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Nigeria’s former minister of agriculture, Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina has vowed to eradicate poverty in Africa through infrastructural development, job creation, regional integration and development of agriculture at the rural level.http://www..ng/2015/06/05/my-government-will-focus-on-agriculture-not-oil-buhari/

Good thinking malam president am with u on dis one

nigerian governments are always too unserious and too useless to do anything right. Hope this government would do things differently.

But apc governors do not like agriculture, probably apc as a party does not believe in developing agriculture.

imhotep:
I thought he said he will stabilize the prize of crude oil

Wahala yaa zo . . .LMAO

that's call IGG-innitial gra gra, now he really want to stabilize world cassava price.