By Mercy Omoike
Lagos – A don, Prof. Kolawole Adebayo has called for the provision of enabling environment and necessary infrastructure for agricultural development in the country.
Adebayo, a professor of agriculture at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
The don said the provision of basic infrastructure to local farmers was a major incentive to aid the development of agriculture in the country.
“Improving our agriculture sector is not really about production because the farmer knows how to produce, what we need is a good environment to produce.
“The greatest incentive you can give a farmer is to provide him the environment to operate where his cost of production will not be unduly increased because of lack of basic infrastructural facilities.
“If we provide the necessary infrastructure such that the cost of production becomes low, then our farmers will be able to do more.
“Infrastructure like electricity, water, health services and education are very important because if the local farmer has these infrastructures in his neighbourhood, he will perform better in production.
“For instance, all our roads are terrible both major and rural roads. In fact, rural roads do not exist anymore. So we need to fix these roads,” he said.
Adebayo said with the provision of these infrastructures, many young people would also be attracted to farming.
He also reiterated the need to simplify the market system for local farmers to enable them get good returns for their agro-produce.
“We can also build capacity for the local farmers by simplifying our market system, so that it can allow farmers to know what they do best.
“We need available off takers to buy the farmers’ goods and accord him the appropriate respect and return for his investment.
“Most farmers in this country suffer at the point of payment because after a tedious production cycle, and your produce are priced at an abysmal cost, it is disheartening.
“So, we need to find a way to support the local farmers at the end of the value chain so as to ensure our farmers get a dignified income from farming.
“We must create an environment where a farmer can thrive successfully, so younger people can look up to farming because of the success of our local farmers,” the professor said.
(NAN)
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