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AGRICULTURE
AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CHALLENGES FOR
THE NORTH WEST ZONE
OF NIGERIA
OF NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
1. The research is about the development of
agriculture in Nigeria:
challenges for the North West Zone of Nigeria.
The study set to determine the efforts made by past and current
governments at agricultural development in the country. The research assessed the performance of the
sector and effects of these on the economy.
The challenges of agricultural development were also identified. The ways of developing the sector so that it
can compete with the oil sector was then proffered.
2. The researcher used both primary and
secondary sources of information for the study but with a greater reliance on
the latter. The analysis of data and Interview was used as part of the
information to collate the challenges to agricultural development in the rural
areas. The study revealed that there had
been several efforts at agricultural development. The measures include policies and programmes. An assessment of the effects of these
measures shows that agriculture declined from its premier position giving way
to oil as the dominant sector of the economy.
3. Some challenges to agricultural development
in the North West Zone were also identified.
They include low budgetary allocation, inaccessibility to credit by
farmers, and inadequate supply of inputs.
The strategies for agricultural/development in the North West Zone of
Nigeria, an antidote to these challenges like increased budgetary allocation,
accessibility to credit and adequate supply of inputs to farmers were
discussed. The Government should also adopt favourable policies in order to
increase agricultural production.
4. Finally, the study made recommendations
which would improve agricultural development in the North West Zone of Nigeria.
This is with the aim of developing the Nigerian Economy in addition to the oil
sector.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
The
agricultural sector has a multiplier effect on any nation's socio-economic and
industrial fabric because of its multifunctional nature. A strong and efficient
agricultural sector would enable a country to feed its growing population,
generate employment, earn foreign exchange and provide raw materials for
industries. The agricultural sector has the potential to be the industrial and
economic springboard from which a country’s development can take off, (Chude, 1989:28).
Indeed, more often than not, agricultural activities are usually concentrated
in the less-developed rural areas where there is a critical need for rural
transformation, redistribution, poverty alleviation and socio-economic
development. Agriculture was the key development that led
to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants (i.e. crops) creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The
study of agriculture is known as agricultural science.
Agriculture is also observed in certain species of ant and termite.
Agriculture encompasses a wide variety of specialties and
techniques, including ways to expand the lands suitable for plant rising, by
digging water-channels and other forms of irrigation. Cultivation of crops on arable
land and the pastoral herding of livestock on rangeland
remain at the foundation of agriculture. In the past century there has been
increasing concern to identify and quantify various forms of agriculture. In
the developed world the range usually extends between sustainable agriculture (e.g. perm culture or organic agriculture) and intensive farming (e.g. industrial agriculture).
In
Nigeria, during the early post independence
days (1960 – 1970) before the discovery of oil, agriculture served as the engine of growth of the overall Nigerian economy, (Chude, 1989:28). From the standpoint of occupational distribution and contribution to the GDP, agriculture was the leading sector. During this period Nigeria was the world’s second largest producer of cocoa, largest exporter of palm kernel and largest producer and exporter of palm oil. Nigeria was also a leading exporter of other major commodities such as cotton, groundnut, rubber and hides and skins, (Adeniyi, 1991:16). The agricultural sector contributed over 60 per cent of the GDP in the 1960s and despite the reliance of Nigerian peasant farmers on traditional tools and indigenous farming methods, These farmers produced 70 per cent of Nigeria's exports and 95 per cent of its food needs, (FAO, Summary of World Food and Agricultural Statistics 2003, Rome 2004:46-47).
days (1960 – 1970) before the discovery of oil, agriculture served as the engine of growth of the overall Nigerian economy, (Chude, 1989:28). From the standpoint of occupational distribution and contribution to the GDP, agriculture was the leading sector. During this period Nigeria was the world’s second largest producer of cocoa, largest exporter of palm kernel and largest producer and exporter of palm oil. Nigeria was also a leading exporter of other major commodities such as cotton, groundnut, rubber and hides and skins, (Adeniyi, 1991:16). The agricultural sector contributed over 60 per cent of the GDP in the 1960s and despite the reliance of Nigerian peasant farmers on traditional tools and indigenous farming methods, These farmers produced 70 per cent of Nigeria's exports and 95 per cent of its food needs, (FAO, Summary of World Food and Agricultural Statistics 2003, Rome 2004:46-47).
The agricultural sector declined
dramatically in
the 1970s following the oil boom. While the oil sector has remained the dominant sector of the economy, agriculture has been neglected and relegated to the background, (Robert 2004:3). This is in sharp contrast to the situation in other oil producing countries where agricultural production generates significant revenue for their governments. For instance, Indonesia and Russia are leading oil exporting countries that produced 50 million metric tonnes of rice and 36 million metric tonnes of coarse grains respectively in 2001, (Robert 2004:6). The grains produced were sufficient to cater for the countries consumption and the surplus exported to generate additional income for their governments.
the 1970s following the oil boom. While the oil sector has remained the dominant sector of the economy, agriculture has been neglected and relegated to the background, (Robert 2004:3). This is in sharp contrast to the situation in other oil producing countries where agricultural production generates significant revenue for their governments. For instance, Indonesia and Russia are leading oil exporting countries that produced 50 million metric tonnes of rice and 36 million metric tonnes of coarse grains respectively in 2001, (Robert 2004:6). The grains produced were sufficient to cater for the countries consumption and the surplus exported to generate additional income for their governments.
Oil
was first discovered in commercial quantity in Nigeria at Oloibiri in Bayelsa
state in 1956, (Robert 2004:7). Since
the discovery of oil, the sector had witnessed rapid development and growth
with government attention being gradually shifted from agriculture to the
petroleum sector. The petroleum industry
thus became more attractive and profitable and also became a major diplomatic
and political economic resource. The country thus joined the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting countries (OPEC) in 1971, (Sam 2004:3), as at 2001, oil
exports accounted for 98 per cent of the country’s total exports. This was produced at an annual rate of 826
million barrels from
over 150 oil fields that are mostly in the Niger Delta region, (Rilwanu 2001). The government’s immediate concern was towards petroleum as the main source of income. Nigeria became a mono – product economy due to its reliance on a single product for a substantial part of its revenue.
over 150 oil fields that are mostly in the Niger Delta region, (Rilwanu 2001). The government’s immediate concern was towards petroleum as the main source of income. Nigeria became a mono – product economy due to its reliance on a single product for a substantial part of its revenue.
Nigeria is made up of 5 geographical
zones, namely the North East, North West, South- South, South East and south
West. Of these 5 geographical zones, the population from the North West are predominantly farmers this
can be attributed to the availability of arable farm land and their cultural
heritage. However, there has been little progress in the development of
agriculture in that Zone just like in other parts of Nigeria. Many agricultural
programmes aimed at developing the sector were put in place in the past without
much progress.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The volatility of
petroleum prices in the world market has led to the instability of the Nigerian
economy. This is due to Nigeria’s
over dependence on oil for its revenue. Consequently, the economy has remained
a mono-product economy, weak and unable to effectively support the needed
growth or development. The diversification of the economy has taken a centre
stage in the present effort towards economic reforms in the country. The
agricultural sector readily presents itself as that vital alternative in this
regard.
There have been
efforts in the past towards the development of the agricultural sector albeit
without appreciable results. This research therefore seeks to examine the
efforts made in the past, why they failed and how agriculture could be
developed to be at par with petroleum in generating revenue for the Government.
This could be achieved by providing answers to the following questions:
a. What efforts
were made in the past by the Government towards agricultural development?
b. What
were the factors responsible for the ineffectiveness of Government policies
towards agricultural development?
c. What are the constraints to agricultural
development in the North West Zone of Nigeria?
d. How can the Government develop the
agricultural sector in order to reduce over dependence on oil?
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are as follows:
a. To examine efforts made by the Nigerian
government in the past towards developing a viable agricultural sector.
b. To identify the factors responsible for the
ineffectiveness of policies in the past and the constraints to agricultural
development in Nigeria.
c. To develop policies and programmes that
could be employed for the development of agriculture in the North West Zone of
Nigeria.
d. To highlight what Nigeria stands to benefit from the
development of agriculture in order to reduce it’s over dependence on oil.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will also assist Government in formulating policy
strategies towards agricultural development in Nigeria. Accelerate Agricultural
development in the North West Zone of Nigeria and the Country in general. Furthermore, it will serve as a reference
material to future researches in the field of agricultural development in the
country. It is also hoped that the study will add to existing literature and
body of knowledge.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The research
covers the period from 1965-2009. However, greater emphasis will be laid from
1970 to 1983 this is because from records, most of the significant policies on
agriculture were made during this period.
In the course of
this study however, relevant literature on this subject will be referred
to. This will include literature from
1984 till date.
1.6 LIMITATIONS
In the course of
the research, the following limitations were encountered:
a. Inability of the researcher to visit the
Ministry of Agriculture Abuja, however Kaduna State
ministry of Agriculture as well as the Ahmadu Bello University Department of
Agriculture were visited. Most of the data used in this study were obtained
from there. However, up-to-date data were not readily available on the subject
matter, as custodians of some relevant data were unwilling to make them readily
available. However, this did not have any significant effect on the findings of
this research work.
b.
Most of the data obtained were from government sources; therefore its accuracy
cannot be ascertained.
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