UNDP advocates value-chain formation among states to boost food security
The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) project tagged: ``Fostering Sustainable and Resilient Food Security in Nigeria’’ on Thursday called for the formation of agriculture value-chains to improve food security.
The UNDP project’s Lead Consultant, Prof Emmanuel Oladipo, at a workshop in Kano, called for cooperation and collaboration among states.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop had the theme, “Targeting Interventions to Foster Sustainable and Resilient Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The UNDP project is being implemented with a focus on agriculture stakeholders in Northern Nigeria.
Oladipo said when states focused on their areas of comparative advantage it would improve food security and access to markets and prevent glut and wastage.
``God is so wonderful to Nigeria, providing so many resources but we never made use of it; God made it in such a way that where some areas are deficient, others are in surplus.
``If you don’t have enough water in the North, then plant tomatoes; don’t bother with corn, use millet. If you move a bit to the South, add sorghum to it.
``By the time you move to the middle belt, you can have corn and yam. So you don’t need to plant yam in Kano; you get yam from Benue.
``You don’t need to grow millet in Benue, you get millet from Kano,” he said.
The lead consultant said the country never really inter-chained very well, adding that this was why it kept on spending so much money on importation.
He described the lull in the global oil market as a blessing in disguise for Nigeria, saying it would allow its leaders to put on their thinking caps.
Oladipo commended the recent value-chain formation between Lagos State and Kebbi State, saying it would improve food security and increase access to markets for agriculture produce.
``Recently, Kebbi declared itself a rice producing state, so it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lagos State.
``The MoU specifies that Kebbi will be producing rice, while Lagos will be consuming; that’s a very good approach.
``Adamawa can also look at its comparative advantage and produce for Bayelsa, and vice-versa,
``This means that government is going to guarantee the farmers have a ready-made market somewhere,” he said.
The UNDP official emphasised that agriculture accounted for about 24 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employed about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force.
According to him, the country’s GDP depends more on agriculture than on oil and gas and agriculture contributes nearly 40 per cent up to 2012.
``What brought agriculture to 24 per cent from 40 per cent was Nollywood. Nollywood took over much of what agriculture was contributing.
``This is because the younger ones stopped going to the farm; everybody wants to be an artiste – singing, acting or dancing.
``So, Nollywood contributes about 15 per cent to the GDP, so that’s what brought down agriculture from 40 to about 24 per cent,” Oladipo said.
The UNDP project’s Lead Consultant, Prof Emmanuel Oladipo, at a workshop in Kano, called for cooperation and collaboration among states.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop had the theme, “Targeting Interventions to Foster Sustainable and Resilient Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The UNDP project is being implemented with a focus on agriculture stakeholders in Northern Nigeria.
Oladipo said when states focused on their areas of comparative advantage it would improve food security and access to markets and prevent glut and wastage.
``God is so wonderful to Nigeria, providing so many resources but we never made use of it; God made it in such a way that where some areas are deficient, others are in surplus.
``If you don’t have enough water in the North, then plant tomatoes; don’t bother with corn, use millet. If you move a bit to the South, add sorghum to it.
``By the time you move to the middle belt, you can have corn and yam. So you don’t need to plant yam in Kano; you get yam from Benue.
``You don’t need to grow millet in Benue, you get millet from Kano,” he said.
The lead consultant said the country never really inter-chained very well, adding that this was why it kept on spending so much money on importation.
He described the lull in the global oil market as a blessing in disguise for Nigeria, saying it would allow its leaders to put on their thinking caps.
Oladipo commended the recent value-chain formation between Lagos State and Kebbi State, saying it would improve food security and increase access to markets for agriculture produce.
``Recently, Kebbi declared itself a rice producing state, so it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lagos State.
``The MoU specifies that Kebbi will be producing rice, while Lagos will be consuming; that’s a very good approach.
``Adamawa can also look at its comparative advantage and produce for Bayelsa, and vice-versa,
``This means that government is going to guarantee the farmers have a ready-made market somewhere,” he said.
The UNDP official emphasised that agriculture accounted for about 24 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employed about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force.
According to him, the country’s GDP depends more on agriculture than on oil and gas and agriculture contributes nearly 40 per cent up to 2012.
``What brought agriculture to 24 per cent from 40 per cent was Nollywood. Nollywood took over much of what agriculture was contributing.
``This is because the younger ones stopped going to the farm; everybody wants to be an artiste – singing, acting or dancing.
``So, Nollywood contributes about 15 per cent to the GDP, so that’s what brought down agriculture from 40 to about 24 per cent,” Oladipo said.
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