What President-Elect, Tinubu Should do to Revamp Agricultural sector, Says Adetoyi

Former Commissioner for Agriculture in Ekiti State, Dr. Olabode Adetoyi has made recommendations to Nigeria’s President-Elect, Bola Tinubu on how to revamp the country’s agricultural sector.

Adetoyi, who made this recommendation while speaking to journalists recently, said that it is imperative for the funding alloted to the sector to be increased in order to live its essence.

The agricultural expert said there is need to engage more hands to empower security forces especially the Agro Rangers unit of the NSCDC who are currently doing well in safeguarding farms and farm boarders.

Adetoyi also said that technologically driven extension services should be enhanced, reshaped and promoted to farmers and rural dwellers to increase productivities.

According to him, there shoud be Increase in budgetary allocation by federal and state government to Agriculture even as Provision of silos, advanced and accessible storage facilities, encourage modular processing centers across senatorial districts to address post-harvest losses are prioritized.

“Increased funding. Engage more hands to empower security forces especially the Agro Rangers unit of the NSCDC who are currently doing well in safeguarding farms and farm boarders which I believe they can do more with enough hands.

“Enhance, reshape and promote a technologically driven extension services to farmers and rural dwellers to increase productivities. Increased budgetary allocation by federal and state government to Agriculture.

“Provision of silos, advanced and accessible storage facilities, encourage modular processing centers across senatorial districts to address post-harvest losses.” He said.

While speaking on yhe issue of herdsmen menace, He said that there must be political will to address the issue of ranching, stating that Ranching must be encouraged in all the geo political zones especially in the Northern part of Nigeria where they do more of livestock.

The former commissioner said government must provide incentives to encourage cattle farmers in form of feeds, pasture establishment, deployment of experts on animal production and veterinary Doctors to this ranching centers.

He, therefore, expressed optimism that pastoralist will not be roaming thier animals around with provision of water, noting that lessons must be learnt from Botswana where crop and cattle farmers compliments themselves.

“On the herdsmen menace there must be political will to address the issue of ranching. Ranching must be encouraged in all the geo political zones especially in the Northern part of Nigeria where they do more of livestock.

“Government must provide incentives to encourage cattle farmers in form of feeds, pasture establishment, deployment of experts on animal production and veterinary Doctors to this ranching centers, I believe with this pastoralist will not be roaming there animals around with provision of water. We must learn from Botswana where crop and cattle farmers compliments themselves.” He said.

Prince Adetoyi is currently the Chairman and Founder of Value Ingredients Ltd Lagos with a branch in Ado Ekiti.

He was Director, Fountain Holdings Ltd (an investment arm of Ekiti State), Chairman Youth in Commercial Agriculture Development Ekiti State, Member Ekiti -State Covid 19 Resource Mobilization Committee, Hon Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security Ekiti State 31st August 2020 – 15th October 2022.

While he was Commissioner, he made footprints that were largely indelible. Few are, Engagement of Youths in Agribusiness {Training of over 300 youths through YEASA, IITA, IFAD, AFRICARISE, ABUAD}, Engagement on Development Strategy for Agro Cargo Airport, built and support Ease of Doing Business, wrote a new Agric. Policy Development for Ekiti State, Establishment of clonal gardens for seedlings so that farmers an have access to new and improved varieties of Cocoa, Oil Palm, Cashew etc.