New Agric Technology, Innovation policy to boost agribusiness — Abubakar

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, Friday, assured newly launched agricultural policy, National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy, NATIP, to boost agribusiness and all agricultural value chains.

Abubakar stated this during in his keynote address at the launch of NATIP, in Abuja, where he explained that the policy is cardinal to the actualisation of Buhari-led administration’s diversification of the economy.

According to him, the policy document also covers the crosscutting areas of digital and Climate-Smart Agriculture promotion, rural infrastructure development, nutrition, and exports standardization. Others are agricultural lending and insurance, data and information management, quality agricultural inputs access, agricultural land and water resources usage, women and youth in agriculture, cooperative revitalisation and national food reserve and food security.

However, he explained that the implementation strategy of the policy has outlined clearly responsibilities and roles among national, state and local government actors throughout the period of implementation from 2022-2027.

He said: “This important occasion of unveiling a new strategy policy document, ll tagged National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy 2022-2027, that would guide and enhance agribusiness undertakings in the country.

“This is a response to the present administration agenda of diversifying the nation’s economy from petroleum to agriculture and solid minerals-driven national development strategy.

“To make Nigeria adequate in food production, healthy living and livelihood engagement, the present administration has been strengthening the inter-sectoral activities and multi-stakeholders collaborations amongst government and non-government organisations.

“This collective effort sustains our continuous goal of harnessing and utilizing the country’s human and material resources in a responsible manner for common good and economic growth.”

He also made it known that, “The new National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy 2022-2027 is premised on the 10 thematic areas of Stakeholders Synergy and Alignment; Knowledge Creation and Transfer; Rapid Mechanization; Agricultural Development Fund Establishment; Extension Service Delivery Revitalisation and Livestock Development.

“Others are Priority Crop Value Chain Strengthening; Fisheries and Aquaculture, Marine and Inland Fisheries Development; Market Development, and Agricultural Lands and Investments Partnership.

He further stated that various initiatives for development of the agriculture sector are being sustained by his Ministry, hence the issue of technology and innovation becomes inevitable for the transformation of the agricultural system of empowering small scale farmers to adopt new technologies and best practices for an enhanced production and processing of agricultural commodities for local consumption and export to other countries.

In a goodwill message, the Deputy Country Mission Director, USAID, Sarah Werth, disclosed 55 million in new resource to mitigate the adverse crisis in Nigeria, while speaking on the importance of technology and innovation for the Nigerian agricultural sector as far as food security and job creation are concerned.

Speaking on sidelines of the launch, the Country Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, Dede Ekoue, said the NATIP is a game-changer for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

Ekoue said IFAD was part of the process of formulating NATIP and that IFAD is in discussion with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on how it would be involved in the implementation plan, because the policy is important and implementation is key, which IFAD and Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, and other development partners would collaborate on that.

“The technology has a great potential and to change things in agriculture in Nigeria.

“This policy is a game-changer but not a ‘miracle pill’ but has the potential to change the agricultural sector, not only for food security but for economic growth and job creation.

“Beyond the policy and plan, I would really want to stress that it is important for even existing programmes because for us is to harness and improve productivity of farmers and IFAD is supporting smallholder farmers, so this technology would help farmers improve on their income.

“It is also important to note that the NATIP is promoting the use of digital solutions and would help farmers have extension services.

“Going forward, IFAD as part of the UN family as a whole is committed to continuous support in close collaboration with FAO, the Federal Government of Nigeria in the implementation of the NATIP”, she added.

However, she called for all sectors’ support including youth, women, Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, donors, and researchers to provide support for successful implementation of NATIP.

In a goodwill message, Country Programme Leader, International Policy Research Institute, IPRI, Bedru Balana, said IPRI has been a long term collaborator and also engaged extensively in development of the NATIP.

Balana acknowledged that the Federal Government’s effort in providing jobs for the teeming youth population would be consolidated with NATIP.

He said: “The NATIP called specially the mainstreaming of women and the youth across the agricultural value chains within the framework of innovation and enterprises, and the linkages to finance is very relevant.

“This is crucial as Nigeria continues to focus on creating jobs through the agriculture for its growing youth and vulnerable population in the face of the current economic and environmental conflict, insecurity, climatic shocks, of course, the post COVID-19 food price inflation that we have all experienced and now further worsened by the world market shocks resulting from the Russia War in Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, consultant on the policy document, Prof Murtala Sagagi, explained that the NATIP is aimed at sustainable development of national technological and innovative capacity to fast-track import substitution with particular emphasis on reduction of rice, dairy and fish imports, increased resilience and digital agriculture, thereby promoting high potential value chains and agricultural investments.