The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Nigeria has said it aims to make agriculture a giant stake in the economic transformation of Nigeria so that Nigerians and the world can appreciate the contribution of agriculture to the growth of the country.
Country Director for AGRA, Dr Kehinde Makinde who stated this in an interview yesterday said, the institution will provide a leveled playing ground for farmers and investors in the agricultural sector.
Makinde said AGRA hopes to support the government in distribution of high quality input that will help in producing quality output crops as part of its plans towards ensuring agricultural transformation.
In getting access to mechanised farming, he said AGRA is trying to educate farmers about modern farming practices as most farmers in the rural area are less educated when it comes to modern farming.
“They believe in the old farming practices they inherited from their parents and ancestors”, he said.
On irrigation, he said only five percent of Nigerian farmers are involved in irrigation farming which remains a local threat to cultivation of local food in the country.
“Producing system are mostly done on the raining season. Most farmers are less educated and have less equipment in other to get involve in Irrigation farming”, he added.
While lamenting that lack of good seeds have remained a challenging factor in the promotion and cultivation of local food in Nigeria, he said farmers in rural areas need good seeds for different crops that are being planted in various regions in the country.
He added that proper funding and access to credit facilities will help in building the gap between food shortage and improve food security in the country.
“Access to adequate credit facilities have remained a threat to the cultivation of local food in the country. Access to grants, and loans to farmers have remained one of the stumbling blocks of adequate food production in the country.
“Most farmers are willing to double their yearly productions, but they lack the adequate finance to do that”, he said.
Speaking further, the Country Director noted that AGRA is partnering with the Federal government in more ways than one to alleviate the hardship farmers face in both rural and urban areas of the country respectively.
He said as part of the Federal government’s drive towards making food available to its citizens and also exporting some crops in order to boost the economy, he said they have both put down adequate modalities in order to make sure both rural and urban farmers have access to advance technology in order to boost food security in the country.
“AGRA in its part have provided various supports in terms of providing improved seeds to farmers in rural areas where they find it hard to access such technologically advanced seeds that will boost the farm yield of farmers.
“In terms of adhering to modern agricultural best practices, AGRA have trained farmers mostly in rural areas by setting up demo farms for farmers to learn from their extension workers to know when to plant a particular seed, when to apply fertilizer and other chemicals that will help in nurturing the Plant, when to harvest and what to use in harvesting those products.
“AGRA have also helped in Distribution Mechanism. It involves helping agro delears in rural areas to get and sell the right volume of seeds to farmers in rural areas. AGRA is building the pipeline between government, seed companies and Farmers. Distribution of input to small holders will go a long way in having a robust harvest”, he added.
However, he said AGRA tends to partner with various farmer organisations like the Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) among others.
As part of its private partnership, Makinde however noted that AGRA has designed an output market level and the input market levels.