by Ubong S.

Agriculture is at the center of the Nigerian economy, providing the main source of livelihood for many of her citizens. Agriculture, before the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria, was the mainstay of the country's economy. Sadly, the presence of oil and the wealth it brought, largely distracted the attention of government from this sector, and despite the rising need and urges for government to return its attention to agriculture by way of diversifying the economy, very little has been done in this regard.

Research claims Nigeria’s small farms produce about 80 percent of its total food, and 33 percent of the country's land space is under cultivation for this purpose. Despite leading Africa in farming, owing to its highest levels of productivity and profitability in this sector, the country has failed to utilise its potentials in Agriculture towards achieving maximum economic advantage.

Somehow, however, this sector, at present, is mostly invested into by private individuals, most of whom are doing so at the subsistence level. The few investments at the commercial level are in the northern region of the country. Agreed, this region is naturally favoured by its large land mass. But be that as it may, the southern part of the country is not entirely underfavoured by nature as regards the availability of land space for large scale farming, as recent engagements by the GOAL Project with some consultants who are professionals in the economic and agricultural fields have revealed that the problem with southern Nigeria and agriculture is more of lack of investors than availablity of land space.

With a near future interest in leading Akwa Ibom– one of the southern states, the GOAL Project had set out on a research towards possibly finding out why the southern region is not competing (at least [near]) equally with the northern side in agriculture, and this led the Project to interfacing with a few renowned professionals and stakeholders in the sector. And while the subsistence and commercial levels were used to separate both regions, it was explained further that the southern region lacks high stake investors to boost its agricultural sector.

A simple analysis led to the understanding that not much of the land spaces in the southern region are being utilised for farming purpose, as the occupational farmers only make use of personal lands which are owned in-between in smaller partitions, and not enough to accommodate mechanization. Besides, the cost of mechanized farming would not be profitable for a farmer whose land space is not large enough to yield such harvests that will cover such cost. Also, accessing funds such as loans, is more of an onerous task for such small scale farmers.

In one of its moments of brainstorming on these challenges and ways to tackle same in Akwa Ibom, the GOAL Project came to the thought that leading the next administration, agriculture can be made the next focus area for government in the state. Commendably, the present administration had come to take a focus in industrialisation. This has led the state to a certain level of progress that the GOAL Project thinks is light years ahead of majority of the citizens, and hopefully, as these industries thrive, investing towards a revolution in agriculture, the Project believes, is one of the easiest way towards bridging this conspicuous gap, as it will build the citizens into owning investments that will becoming direct feeders of the industries. Let's get deeper.

Few years back, while shoprite was rumoured to be concluding plans to set up an outlet in the state, Onofiok Luke— carrier of the GOAL vision had feared for the capital flight this development will spell for the state. His point was simply that the state did not have the SMEs to feed this famously large outlet— a sad reality that will force the outlet to the option of exporting its feeds, while the state will remain its market.

A little later, there was news from the present administration on efforts to attract a tomato processing industry to the state. This was another fear for capital flight, as the state, even presently, does not have enough tomato farms to feed such an industry. While praying the government of the day succeeds in attracting the tomato interest investment to the state before exiting the stage, the GOAL Project thinks the presence of the aforementioned investment in the state would raise the need to encourage committed farmers with provision of land space and funds to try tomato farming in the large scale, so as to ensure no part of the raw feeds for the expected industry is imported.

For a little practical analysis... the Project has noted the consistency and steady progress made by some indigenous investors in this sector, namely, Ime Uwah's Eni Farms, Ubokutom Nya led AKFIPCA farms, among others. These indigenous hands, the GOAL Project thinks, its administration can partner by collapsing the larger land spaces in the interiors of the state for them, and getting them into the commitment of not just growing such cash crops like cassava, rice, etc., but also attaching interest farmers to them for more practical knowledge and experience, and by way of building a succession chain. While awaiting this to yield, private investors can be drawn in to set up commercial large processing plants for these crops. For instance, having modern rice mills in Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket for commercial purpose will in the long term serve rice farmers in the areas and others nearby. Having more rice farmers and actively operational mills that can process large quantities per time, can guarantee availability of rice in the market, hence reducing importation and the cost implications of same on the final consumers.

Enter cassava. The cassava flakes commonly known as garri is gradually becoming an expensive food and beyond the affordability of the common man. GOAL thinks its administration can crash the price of this staple food if its plan towards agricultural revolution as illustrated above yields in terms of causing excess supply of cassava in the market, while encouraging other sets of investors into large scale garri production.

With a population of over seven million, Akwa Ibom state can in a few years afford to produce up to 500 farmers whose commitment would see them growing in the longer term into large scale and economy feeding commercial farmers and consequently becoming high stake holders in the agric sector. And the number can only be on the increase, as the attractive nature of success will likely motivate more interests.

Driving through the interiors of the state, one would easily notice the abundance of oil palm trees. Most of these plants have been left untapped for years and the lands underutilised, while the price of palm oil in the market has almost trippled within the last few years. If Liberia as a nation can run an economy largely funded by oil palm, producing over 42,000 tons annually for its export trade, the GOAL Project believes Akwa Ibom as a state can, at least, use same to improve its human capital development. Aside Liberia, other countries have developed their agric sector to such progress level of having it largely fund their annual budgets. Somalia for instance, has been feeding through large scale banana and sugarcane cultivation. Brazil on its part, is the largest exporter of coffee, sugarcane, soybeans, vegetables, among others. China has fifty percent of its workforce depending on agriculture, and records large turnovers from such farm crops as rice, wheat, millets, potatoes, cotton, etc. The country is even predicted to be a top exporter of farm products in the next decade. Also, with a 20,000-hectare pineapple plantation in the Philippines and 700,000-ton processing capacity, the Philippine Packing Corporation (PHILPACK) operates the world’s largest fully-integrated pineapple operation, with a turnover that largely funds the country's annual budgets. The company still takes pride in its long heritage of 90 years of pineapple growing and processing, while boasting of a workforce that enjoys one of the most attractive compensation and benefit packages granted to agro-industrial workers in the country. For instance, plantation regular workers live with their families in company-provided houses with free electricity and 24-hour running supply of potable water

Ending. Figuring and committing to a future that spells gloom for crude oil, Akwa Ibom can develop its natural resources and potentials in this sector to its economic advantage. And while this writer longs to share more and more insights on this, the fear of entirely exposing the plans of man who seeks the mandate, sadly, would not permit. So while waiting for the vision career to make his choice of time to mount the stage and lead Akwa Ibom people into his vision in details, this piece was just to appetize your minds in expectation for the next man equipped with workable plans, waiting to hit the ground running when the leadership mantle eventually falls on him.


*Ubong Sampson* _(08021419939) writes from Isoko South, Delta State._