As stakeholders lament policy somersault in agriculture
From Debra Ajulo, Ilorin
The Executive Director, Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Dr. Olufemi Oladunni has commended the Kwara state government under the leadership of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for recognizing the value of the agency in the state.
Dr. Oladunni disclosed this weekend in his welcome address at the 21st ARMTI Annual Lecture held at the premises of the agency on Km 18, Ilorin-Ajase-Ipo highway, Kwara state.
According to him, the lecture “is one of the platforms through which ARMTI plays a leading role in the agricultural and rural sector of our nation. Over the years, this platform has served to help in contributing to policy development and proffering useful solutions to nagging problems in the agricultural sector.”
He therefore expressed delight at the readiness of the present administration in the state to take advantageof the different opportunities offered by the agency.
“This is a development that gladdens our hearts greatly because before now, no administration in this state has shown such an interest. He proved it even further by paying a physical visit to our campus to see for himself,” he said.
The ARMTI boss who stressed that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration in the country has made agriculture a key component of its Next Level agenda said the President is aware of the full potentials of the sector.
“The agricultural sector is currently the highest employer of labour in the country, with capacity to do so much more if fully exploited and harnessed. If we can get agricultural policy right, then we can begin to be on track as giants of Africa in food security, employment and income generation, as well as setting our economy where it truly belongs,” he said.
On his part the guest lecturer on the occasion, Prof. Charles Igwe who spoke on the theme of the lecture,Agricultural policies in Nigeria: Unlocking full potentials by identifying challenges and solutionsnoted that, “the potential for domestic and foreign investments in different agricultural sub-sectors in Nigeria are huge.
“This is because of the large population size of the country, the availability of abundant resources and raw materials and the opportunity to earn good returns from such investment.
“the Nigerian government has over the years grappled with all kinds of policies aimed at making agriculture take its pride of place in the Nigerian economy,” he said
Dr. Igwe who is also the Vice-chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka further x-rayed some of the policies of the government on agriculture and some of the challenges encountered, he thereafter presented possible solutions for moving agriculture forward in the country.
News Hub Mag! reports that dscussants on the occasion lamented that policies of government on agriculture does not capture the rural dwellers but rather tailored to massage the ego of politicians
