‘Green Alternative’ ‘ll boost agribusiness- LOKPOBIRI



ABUJA- THE Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, maintained that the federal government’s ‘Green Alternative’ programme will boost agribusiness in the country.
Lokpobiri stated this at the just concluded 40th Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, at their headquarters in Rome, Italy.
Lokpobiri who was the head of the Nigerian delegation said the government has resolved on prioritising the agricultural sector in his move to diversify the economy from being oil revenue driven to a green economy that will massively provide jobs and food for Nigerians.
He said: "The Federal Government’s Agricultural Promotion Policy, APP, (2016-2020) otherwise called -The ‘Green Alternative’ intends to unlock our huge agricultural potentials which will definitely guarantee food security.
“The Policy will provide a disciplined approach to building a resilient agribusiness ecosystem that will solve the core issues at the heart of limited food production, ensure delivery of quality standard and tackle lack of funding for farmers.
“Nigeria has huge agricultural potentials and drives to guarantee food security, generate massive employment, increase wealth of our farmers, develop and transform the livelihood of our teeming rural communities.
“As a Nation, we are determined to feed ourselves, hence, the recent launch of the ‘Green Alternative’ Promotion Policy as a Road Map. The success of the new policy thus hangs on the engagement of marketplace participants, farmers, states, investors, financial institutions and communities, research laboratories, performance-based Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).”
The Minister also commended the impact created by the outgoing President of IFAD, Dr Kanayo Nwanze, for bringing his experience and expertise to bear in piloting the affairs of the organisation in the last eight years.
“His contribution during his tenure has made it one of the most enviable UN International Financial Development Institutes in recent years.

“We have seen a reengineered and vibrant IFAD contributing more towards reducing poverty and improving food security and nutrition among member nations through the improvement of agricultural development. We are proud of IFAD’s tremendous achievements under your leadership”, he said.

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