The oft-repeated declaration that Nigeria is the giant of Africa is mainly due to its abundant human and natural resources. Indeed, the country is so blessed with vast arable land to the extent that experts have regularly expressed the view that Nigeria has the potential to feed its teeming population and the rest of Africa if the agriculture sector is properly harnessed.

Nonetheless, the potential of the agriculture sector has remained largely untapped despite its capacity for employment generation, food security and poverty reduction in the country. But there is hope that the drive to achieve a hunger-free Nigeria remains a feasible one.

Sterling Bank has taken up the challenge of addressing issues preventing the agriculture sector from attaining its full potential through Agriculture Summit Africa holding in Abuja, from the 5th to 6th of September 2019.

The theme of the continental summit which seeks to transform Nigeria into a global leader in food production, processing and marketing is “Agriculture – Your Piece of The Trillion-Dollar Economy”.

A timely initiative, the continental summit is convened to address the future of agriculture in Nigeria and Africa at a point the continent is becoming a single market with over 1.2 billion people through the Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) treaty.

Addressing the media in Lagos on Agriculture Summit Africa which will bring together policymakers, development agencies, international finance institutions and value chain players on the continent, Yemi Odubiyi, Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Sterling Bank, said it will address the issues preventing the very important sector from attaining its potential because food security on the continent has become a critical issue.

Odubiyi disclosed agrarian land is becoming increasingly desolate in the face of climate change and rapid population growth making food security a big challenge. Using Nigeria with population estimated at 200 million as an example, he emphasized Africa’s food security challenge by pointing out that the country’s annual population growth rate of 3 percent outstrips economic growth rate at less than 3 percent.

Read more here ---> https://thenationonlineng.net/agric-summit-positioning-nigeria-to-feed-africa/