Agriculture

                                          Dr. Olabode Adetoyi

Governments at the national and sub-nationals have been urged to raise Agriculture budget above 10 percent Maputo Declaration, by making it 25 percent  of their annual budgets to enable the sector contribute its own quota to the nation’s economic growth.

 

Former Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security in Ekiti State, Dr Olabode Adetoyi, made this appeal, while playing host to the Cassava Cooperative Farmers, in his Cassava farm, in Ado Ekiti, yesterday.

 

Adetoyi,  an investor in Agribusiness- crops, livestock feed milling and feed additives,  also advised  the governments at the three tiers on the need to focus on at least two key crops and livestock in the 6 Geopolitical zones of the country .

 

The former commissioner also harped on the need to encourage the nation’s farmers by availing them with cheap loans, with single interest rate to fund agriculture; since  as no farmers can use bank loans with 30%, as being presently charged, to do any meaningful business.

 

He also stressed the need for a  partnership between farmers and  Tractors and farms machineries manufacturers to enable them boost agric business in the country.

 

Adetoyi also appealed to the governments to encourage big investors to go into the sector, by  making  affordable land that, devoid of community upheaval, available to them.

 

“I want to propose that the State and Federal Government should move to 25% above 10% Maputo declaration in order to rescue the economy.

 

“They should focus on at least two key crops and livestock in the 6 Geopolitical zones and FCT.

 

“Other areas that attention should  also be focused include cheap loans with single interest rate to fund Agriculture as no farmers can use bank loans with 30% to do any meaningful business in Agric.

 

“There should be partnership with Tractors and farms machineries manufacturers to come to Nigeria.

 

“Land should be made available to big commercial investors for farming that will be devoid of community upheaval, apart from the  high cost to get land.” Adetoyi stated.