INVEST IN AGRICULTURE TO SUSTAIN ECONOMY - CSOs to Governor AbdulRazaq

INVEST IN AGRICULTURE TO SUSTAIN ECONOMY - CSOs to Governor AbdulRazaq

The State’s orientation on agriculture should change in such a way that it will be valued as a means to sustain economy always rather than an escape and desperate economic crisis strategy.

This sector holds the quickest key for the State to overcome the effect of the expected drop in KWSG’s revenue as a result of dwindling oil prices and drop in IGR due to zero economic activities in the State.

The KWSG will need to focus on how to invest on and support small holder farmers, and revisit her agriculture plans thus:

i. Special focus on the Agriculture strength of the State: Shonga farm should be resuscitated to accommodate massive rice production, value chain with installation of a world-class destoner machine, polishing equipment and bagging. Shonga farm can also be made the dairy milk hub in Nigeria like previously initiated by Zimbabwean farmers through automated dairy farm.

ii. Tasking each LGA on specific farming activity: Each LGA in Kwara State must be made to focus on at least a farm product that will be consumed within the State and exported to boost the State’s economy.

iii. Master plan: Development of Agriculture master plan outlining various policies to be put in place and timelines.

iv. Extension policy: The KWSG should put in place a new agricultural extension policy to promote collaboration with other extension services providers, enhance cooperative extension services, establish a database for extension planning and performance monitoring, and provide farmers with demand-driven extension services. Since effective extension services ensure that outputs of R&D effort are transmitted to farmers, reforms in the short term will be geared towards extension services. Extension policy with more focus on massive recruitments, training and retraining of extension workers, funding of extension programs to delivers quality services to rural farmers are important.

v. Ensure that farmers have access to credit facility. To raise the productivity of farmers, access to affordable credit (in terms of collateral and repayment terms) is critical. The KWSG should review the institutional framework with a view to encouraging development of institutions that are well placed to provide credit to agriculture. This will include development of micro-finance institutions and the Agricultural Finance Corporation.

vi. Provision of irrigation: KWSG should rehabilitate irrigation schemes in the State to increase production of crops such as yam, rice and others. It should also ensure the review of the Irrigation law to reflect the socio-economic changes in the sub-sector and to facilitate greater participation of farmers in irrigation development. Your administration may wish to partner with the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority and national Assembly members from Kwara State to facilitate this plan, especially through the Federal Government budgets.

vii. Formulation and adoption of Agroecology as a State policy on Agriculture: Agroecology is a system of sustainable agriculture practise that draws on social, biological & traditional methods with focuses on integrated pest & nutrient management, conservation, agro-forestry, aquaculture and livestock integration. It thrives on organic farming, thus cheap to practise, environment friendly and healthier. It also guarantees increased income for farmers and forex as it attracts better international patronages due to organic nature of produce. It increases climate resilience and food sovereignty which will also help in achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 agenda.

viii. Rural roads: Continuous opening up rural roads through programs like the Rural Access and Agriculture Marketing Project (RAAMP) and direct construction by the KWSG.

ix. Value chain: Investment in the agriculture value chain to promote value addition to agriculture produces and attract better income for farmers.

x. Capacity building: Strong synergy with National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), and others to improve capacity building for farmers on best practices in farming, harvesting, food processing, storage, among others. This will have additive effect to the efforts of the State Ministry of Agriculture.

xi. Palliatives for farmers: The KWSG should provide at least a tractor to farmers in each LGA and assist with improved seedlings, herbicides, and fertilizers as their own palliatives.

xii. Affordable tax: Reduction of agriculture business tax to as low as 1% as incentive to farmers.

xiii. Creation of markets for farmers: Local agriculture products made in the State should be used for government businesses. The KWSG should devise a coordinated means of helping farmers to get buyers for their products, both within and outside the State.

xiv. Storage facilities: Provision of storage facilities for farmers will help in food security.

xv. Mitigation of farmers-herdsmen clash: This will ensure that the investment and efforts of farmers are not jeopardised through unauthorised grazing of their farms by herdsmen’s animals.

xvi. Formulate policies that will favour participation of youths and women in agriculture

The 10 groups that sent the advisory to the Governor include: Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), Haashim Initiative for Community Advancement (HICA), Theios Caregivers Initiative, Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), Grassroots Development Monitoring and Advocacy Center (GDMAC), Civil Rights and Development (CIRDEV) Resource Centre, Brain Builders International (BBI), Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), Meadows Community and Development Outreach (MCDO) and Impact-Driven Initiative for Sustainable Development (IDISD).