How Nigeria can fulfill agric potential - Senator Orji

Senator Theodore Orji, Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, has highlighted ways through which the Nigerian economy can fulfill its enormous potential in the agriculture sector and provide quality food and employment to Nigerians as well as increase contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
 
Senator Theodore Orji, Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture
source: independent.ng
Senator Orji who was delivering his opening remarks as Chairman of the National Association of Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) Pan-African Conference/Award in Lagos recently said agriculture remains the major hope of the country to shore up its revenue which has nosedived in recent times due to deteriorating oil prices in the global market.

According to him, if Nigeria is to reverse the trend on food imports running into billions of dollars, the government needs to ensure adequate security by tackling decisively the menace of Fulani herdsmen and terrorism while also giving proper orientation to farmers on irrigation.

He added that a mechanism should be put in place to ensure that loan schemes for farmers are accessed by the real farmers and not the relations or friends of the coordinators who will then pose as farmers and collect the funds which are then diverted to other uses other than farming.

“Fourthly, government should ensure that at least, 90 percent of our lands suitable for farming are properly utilised. Record has it that Nigeria has approximately 84 million hectares of farmland of which less than half is being cultivated at the moment,” he said.
                                                                 

Senator Orji who is also a former Governor of Abia State said his administration saw the need to put to proper use Abia State vast farmland. “We set up what was known then as Ochendo Liberation Farm in the three senatorial districts of the state. The farm settlements located at Abriba, Ukwa and Ikwuano saw the selection of 750 youths from across the state as pioneer beneficiaries of the scheme. That was the catalyst for the agricultural revolution in Abia State today,” he said.

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