Agriculturalist urges increase in inter-trade among African nations to boost agriculture


 An agriculturalist, Mr Ogirinye Innocent, on Tuesday called for increase in the volume of inter trade relationship among African countries to boost development and unlock the continent’s agricultural potential.
Innocent made the call during a workshop on agricultural entrepreneurship organised by the Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigerian Universities, (ADAN) in Omu-Aran, Kwara.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was in conjunction with the College of Agricultural Sciences, Landmark University, Omu-Aran.
He spoke on the topic: Agro-Preneurship: A veritable Tool for Food Security and Economic prosperity.
Innocent, who is also the Coordinator of Youth Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (YISA), an NGO, said that increased trade relationship would avail farmers improved access to global market advantages.
He said the call also became necessary in order to provide incentive for greater investments and returns for medium and large scale farmers, through the markets.
Innocent added that such development would empower farmers with market price information that would allow them improve price discovery, price negotiation and reduction in post harvest losses.
He disclosed that globally over 1.3 billion metric tonnes of food were being wasted annually, adding that this amounted to over 30 per cent of food production.
The agriculturist traced the development to post harvest losses and low level inter-trade relationship in the continent.
``Sub Sahara Africa losses 4 billion dollars worth of grains annually, which is enough to feed about 50 million people.
``Rural food waste and urban scarcity cannot lead to economic prosperity.
``We need to increase the inter-trade relationship of African countries,” he said.
Innocent, who also called for modification in the way agriculture had being taught in schools, suggested the introduction of Agropreneurship 101 as part of the agriculture course in various institutions.
Prof. Folusho David-Abraham, the ADAN President in her remark, said the need to involve youths, especially students, in agriculture development through agri-preneurship informed the organisation of the workshop.
She said that ADAN was established 68 years ago to promote and train students to be self reliant and to ensure a uniform curriculum in agriculture related courses in various institutions among others.
Prof. Aize Obayan, the Vice-Chancellor of Landmark University, in her address of welcome, reiterated the institution’s commitment to an agrarian revolutionary drive in Nigeria.
She expressed optimism that such cause would go a long way in reducing poverty, unemployment and food insufficiency challenges.
The vice-chancellor said the institution recently embarked on a pilot rice Fadama project to showcase its capabilities in using agriculture as a driving force and a veritable platform for national development.
``We planted a brown variety of our pilot Fadama Rice project in September of last year and by December it was ripe for harvest to serve our people during Christmas and New Year,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the workshop was attended by a large assemblage of Deans of Agriculture Faculties from Universities across the country. (

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