Sustainable Agriculture – A Route to Financial Independence
‘’Man, despite his artistic pretentions, his sophistication and many accomplishments, owes the fact of his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains’’
– Anonymous.
Just like every other business, Agriculture is an essential occupation and business whose sole aim is to feed the world’s population. The commonality of agricultural systems worldwide is that they provide that most critical resources – FOOD. The role agriculture plays in human development cannot be overemphasized. It is a tool that can be used to eradicate poverty and hunger in our society.
Nigeria is blessed with a wide variety of agricultural potential, ranging from varieties of animals and plants, and natural agricultural supportive factors like forests, waters, soil and most of all human resources that are being underutilized. With an expansive landmass covering 923.771km2, an estimated arable land of about 68million hectares, abundance of natural forest and rangeland covering 37 million hectares. Varieties of livestock and wildlife, an agricultural friendly climate, coastal and marine resources of over 960km shoreline, expansive rivers and lakes covering 120,000 km2 and large consumer market as estimated to be well over 170 million. Large regional and continental markets, as well as the ever increasing world market exist for reaping the potentials that agriculture can offer any economy. Nigeria has great agricultural potentials that will outpace oil and gas in the long run.
Our country has had a history of agricultural prowess in the past, so if it could work then, it surely will work better now, if judiciously and positively articulated. This is only possible if our government can start looking inward for other sources of revenue other than oil and gas with a sincere intention to boost agricultural production. Our youths also should have a paradigm shift in their perception towards agriculture and start seeing it as a business just like every other small and medium scale business they would want to embark on rather than the usual ‘’dirty, old peoples work’’ perception.
To many, entering a sustainable development path for agriculture and food seems like a daunting challenge. We believe that it is feasible, this article is a clarion call to agriculture and to encourage people to act, despite the enormous challenges, or as John F. Kennedy said: ‘’ By defining our goal more clearly, by making it seem more manageable and less remote, we can help all people to see it, to draw hope from it, and to move irresistibly towards it’’
When thinking sustainable agriculture, there are some questions that we as a people and a nation need to address;
i) How can we make farming more profitable and more sustainable in our generation?
ii) How can we utilize our land and water resources better? What will be the role of
large scale commercial agricultural development compared to small holder
production?
iii) How can the double poverty trap of small farms with poor soils be overcome? Will
rural development and job creation require more consolidation of farms into greater
sizes or business entities that could be more productive and sustainable?
iv) How can agriculture become an attractive entrepreneurial undertaking, reducing
drudgery, reducing unemployment and getting people (women and youth in
particular) decent and fulfilling work?
v) How can we capitalize on the revolutions in genomics, IT, physics, biology, chemistry
and material sciences to take agriculture to a new level in Nigeria? Who will invest in
strategic blue-sky research.
vi) How can we make best choices for a sustainable agriculture development path?
How can we ensure that investments are motivated by facts and priority needs
rather than political interest?
vii) How can we improve the business climate to encourage more investment and small
business development? What new mechanisms and incentives can be provided for
public , civil society and private sector actors to work more effectively together?
I beg to leave you with these few questions to ponder over.