(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sambo-25.gif) The Vice President, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo has said that the agricultural sector is a key factor to tackling Africa's myriads of challenges and a means of achieving sustainable economic growth on the continent.
Vice President Sambo stated this, when he spoke at the 5th edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development,(TICAD V), holding in Yokohama, Japan. He represents President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Vice President said agriculture accounts for a large chunk of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product, saying that it was in this regard that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration placed high premium on the reformation of the sector as a veritable means of diversifying Nigeria's economy and tackling unemployment.
He said, "In 2012 for instance, agriculture contributed 35% to Nigeria's GDP. It is with this in mind, that the Nigerian Government has outlined a well-articulated agricultural reform programme aimed at developing the country's agriculture sector through private sector-led inclusive growth strategy with the ultimate aim at diversifying Nigeria's economy away from oil."
He therefore, urged sister African countries to borrow a leaf from Nigeria, as Nigeria had moved from looking at agriculture as a programme to looking at it as a business enterprise that needs to be nurtured and sustained. "For African countries, including Nigeria, to achieve a sustainable growth, it is imperative that agriculture be developed across the value chain. This is because agriculture is the continent's backbone, employing about 70% of the workforce and accounting for about a-third of Africa's GDP."
Vice President Sambo also enjoined the Japanese government through TICAD, to partner with Africa to reposition her agricultural sector as a means of achieving sustainable growth.
According to him, "There is an important role TICAD V can play in assisting us develop agri-business. TICAD V is in position to support African entrepreneurs in the area of processing agricultural products for value addition."
"Furthermore, we require support in upstream agricultural activities like supplying of inputs and facilitating access to agricultural machineries and technologies that would invariably increase the international competitiveness of our agricultural products in the international market," the Vice President added.
Arc Sambo called for closer collaboration with Japan to explore new measures and ways to deepen their cooperation for the mutual benefit of both sides.
The host of the Summit and the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe promised that his country would do more than previously, adding that Africa was strategic and the need to reposition the continent for rapid socio-economic progress cannot be overemphasized.
Among the entourage of the Vice President are the Governor of Benue State, Mr Gabriel Suswam, the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru and Sen. Isiaiah Balat among others.
The three day event has in attendance, the United Nations and several development partners. It also has in attendance, 52 African countries.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria
Agriculture is something so many Nigerians tend to ignore from time to time. And that is really a terrible mistake.