Stakeholders Urge Policy Alignment On Agric

Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have stressed the need for a critical evaluation of government policies’ impact on the economy, particularly in the agricultural sector.

This they said in Abuja, at the report presentation on food security and how Nigeria can wriggle out of the problems.

The report was part of the HortiNigeria Programme, which featured the President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ibrahim Kabir, directors from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, lecturers, farmers, and various development partners.

The country lead of the Netherlands African Business Council, Kabiru Ademoh emphasised the importance of evaluating government policies’ impact on the economy.

He highlighted the need for aligning policies with farmers’ needs to enhance productivity.

Among the factors discussed were global conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, ongoing post-pandemic recovery efforts, and domestic policy changes like the removal of fuel subsidies. These factors, notably the escalation of production costs, have posed significant challenges to farmers, impacting both profitability and scalability.

He said, “These challenges, particularly rising production costs, hindered farmers’ profitability and ability to scale operations.”

To address these issues, Ademoh proposed the establishment of a Climate Smart Horticultural fund and the adoption of the Dutch Diamond approach. The fund aims to provide affordable financing for climate-smart agricultural initiatives and support young entrepreneurs in the sector.

He said that the Dutch Diamond approach involves creating a diverse delegation representing various stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to ensure inclusive policy development.

Kabiru noted that through initiatives like HortiNigeria, significant progress has been made in reaching farmers across Nigeria, exceeding the initial target of 60,000.

Kabir emphasised the government’s commitment to expanding food production through collaboration with international partners and urged experts to focus on the long-term benefits of agricultural development beyond short-term challenges like fuel subsidy removal.

To combat these hurdles, Ademoh proposed the establishment of a Climate Smart Horticultural fund aimed at providing accessible financing for climate-smart agricultural initiatives and supporting burgeoning entrepreneurs in the sector.

Additionally, he advocated for the adoption of the Dutch Diamond approach, which advocates for a diverse delegation representing various stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to ensure inclusive policy development.