Youth In Agriculture

Within the developing agenda of Ghana, agriculture is identified as one of the economic pillars. The nexus/connection between agriculture development and Ghana’s ability to achieve its food and nutrition security goals are inextricably linked.
Agriculture is important to the development of any nation, Ghana being no exception. Development must include the youth and therefore the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) seeks to encourage their participation in the agricultural sector. This effort seeks to change the negative perception the youth have of participation in agriculture, (farmers) as uneducated, unskilled, physical labourers with extremely low economic return. Modern agriculture is more than tilling the soil and animals. The sector today offers career opportunities in research, environment, financial management, engineering and other technical areas for the youth to explore.
The introduction of the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) is necessary and vital to facilitate food and nutrition security because of the following reasons but not limited to:

A Combine Harvester on a Block Farm at Savelugu

• There is compelling evidence of ageing farmer population in the country which must be addressed to facilitate sustainability in agriculture production. The average age of farmer in Ghana is 55 years and life expectancy averages between 55 – 60 years.
• Ghana’s food import bill for rice, cooking oil, frozen chicken and meat (have become staple food) continues to rise. If this trend continues the availability of food in Ghana in the near future will depend on imports making the country vulnerable to catastrophic events and other exogenous shocks that have negative impact on food  production from external source. The youth is strategic to the success of any effort to boost Ghana’s food production.
• The poor image of persons involved in agriculture, especially in the rural communities needs to be changed and the youth are the  ideal catalyst such change given their greater prosperity and wiliness to adapt new ideas, concept and technology which are all important to changing the way agriculture is practiced and perceived.
• Increased employment particularly rural employment is required as youth unemployment is on the increase.
• Increase productivity in agricultural sector depends on the youth who compromise about 20 – 30 of Ghana’s active population. Their energy and numbers provide tremendous opportunities for increasing agricultural productivity.
• YIAP provides productive alternatives for the engagement of the youth to reduce crime and other social problems.
• Diversified, modern farming practices.
• New crop varieties and animal strains/breeds.
• Less soil pollution since there will be regular advice and supervision from MOFA.
• Reduction in rural-urban migration.

Youth on a Block Farm at Savelugu

The Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) is a Government of Ghana (GOG) agricultural sector initiative with an objective of motivating the youth to accept and appreciate farming/food production as a commercial venture, thereby taking up farming as a life time vocation.
The YIAP has the task and responsibility of mobilizing the youth to take up farming and its other related activities as life time vocation. By so doing the following benefits will be derived from the employment for the youth, through the provision of tractor services and agro – inputs;
The youth in Agriculture Programme has the objective of

• Making youth accept farming as a commercial business venture;
• Generate appreciable income to meet farmers domestic and personal needs;
• Youth will improve their standard of living-through improved income.
• Youth will be motivated to stay in rural areas, as inputs will be delivered at their farm gate, on credit basis and interest free,
• Produce enough food crops, meat and fish using modem methods.

Components of the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP)
The Youth in Agriculture has four (4) components namely:
i. Crops / Block Farm
ii. Livestock and Poultry
iii. Fisheries/Aquaculture and
iv. Agribusiness
Crops/Block Farm
This System has two sub-components, general crops and the block farm Block Farm, under this Scheme, state land or land acquired from chiefs or private individuals is ploughed and shared in

Block Farm Rice and Combine Harvester

blocks among ; young farmer under supervision of MOFA staff. For now, the crops under YIAP include maize (seed and grain), sorghum, soybean, tomato and onion.
Other enterprises will be included as the programme expands. Under the block farm, YIAP provides farmers with tractor services, inputs at subsidized prices all on credit and at interest free. The land is ploughed and shared amongst young farmers in blocks. In the long run, big commercial farmers are to be made from Block Farm and the other component of the Youth in Agric Programme.
With regard to the general system, farmers clustered in an area may be considered under the programme. At the end of the season, farmers are expected to repay the facility in kind. This system takes care of their marketing responsibilities and post harvest loses. Farmers may sell their produce to the Buffer Stock Company established by MOFA or’ any customer of their choice.
Livestock and Poultry
This component targets young unemployed men and women to take to production of livestock and poultry (broilers layers, guinea fowls and piggery to begin with. Beneficiary youth will be assisted with day old chicks in the case of broilers, layers and guinea fowls, They will be provided with housing, feeding, drugs and vaccine, utility until they are weaned off the programme in about a year.
Similarly breeding sows and pigs together with the other inputs will be provided. There is a programme for other animals such as cattle, sheep and goats and other stocks such as rabbit and grasscutter will be added. Since animal production is a specialized area, participating farmers will be trained.
Fisheries/Aquaculture
The Youth in Aquaculture Programme is first of all being driven by the demand for healthy fish and inadequate domestic fish production. Traditional harvest fisheries are cither fully exploited or near full exploitation and cannot meet the increasing demand for seafood.
The youth are especially targeted to form the focal point of the project.
Who can join the Programme

• .Any person interested in farming
• Group of young men and women in the community interested in farming.
• Any institution training farmers.

How to Join the Youth in Agriculture Programme

• Contact any MOFA office at the Regional or District level in Regional and District capitals.
• Contact the National secretariat of the Youth in Agriculture Programme,  MOFA, Accra,
• For block farm participants, you must be in groups with elected leaders.

You  must apply in writing and state your area of interest, location to access to any agricultural productive resource .
Youth in Agriculture Programme

• Tractor services where your land is ploughable
• If your land cannot be ploughed you have to clear it yourself.
• Supply of inputs such as seeds, agro-chemicals, sacks, and facilitate marketing of your produce.
• Technical support from Agric. Extension staff of MOFA.
• Training of farmers free of charge, where the need arises.

The role of the District, Municipal and metropolitan Assemblies

• Supervision
• Assist to acquire land
• Provide land and equipment
• Monitor activities

EXIT STRATEGY
An organization or individual without an exit strategy  may be in a quagmire. At worst, an exit
strategy will save face; at best an exit strategy will peg a withdrawal to the achievement of an objective worth more than the cost of continued involvement.
Any business, be it farming, commerce or e manufacturing needs to grow. In any business’ formative years, a push is needed. This push could be in the form of capital, land or management. In terms of h agriculture, resources such as land, capital and labour s need be expanded or intensified. The Youth in Agriculture Programme is the channel through which the Government of Ghana is giving a push to the youth.
In order to allow the youth to grow in their farming businesses, young farmers participating in the various, components of YIAP need to be weaned off at a point. , However, this will depend on which component or enterprise the young farmer is involved in, because the gestation period of each enterprise varies from the other. The young farmer at that point needs to be, partially independent in terms of taking decisions, acquisition of inputs and marketing of his/her produce.
The YIAP will introduce weaned young farmers to the appropriate service providers and Banks such as Agricultural Development Bank, StanBic Bank, etc.
The details of provision of credit to the farmer will be between the farmer and the bank. The YIAP however will continue to maintain contacts with the farmers in order to draw from their knowledge and experience for new participants in the programme.
Crops/Block farm
Each young farmer will have to be encouraged to open a bank account with the agricultural inclined banks as a first step. A young farmer who is able to continue repaying his/her debts with YIAP will be allowed to continue up to 3 years. After 3 years he has to look for his/her own land, because it is expected that he/she will expand his farm from 2 hectares to 5 hectares and above hectares.

Livestock/Poultry
Each young farmer will be encouraged to open a bank account as a general policy of the programme. Since the production cycle of poultry, rabbits and pigs allow several in a year; a young farmer will be with the programme for 2years. It is expected that at the end of the second year, the farmer would have gained enough knowledge and experience to be on his own. Financially he would have saved some funds to enable him construct a simple animal house.
Aquiculture/ Fisheries
Young farmers will be weaned off after 1 year. The Cost-Benefit analysis show that after two successful production cycles (will make about 50%of working capital invested as income),
young farmers should be able to save to construct their own cages. The banks should be able to provide the farmer with working capital as credit to enable them put into use their cages constructed.
Agribusiness
This component involves training of the youth in processing, marketing and consultancy in various areas of agricultural production. The YIAP will be able to keep participants up to I year. After 1 year, a young participant will be weaned off the programme. To begin, especially for the processors, simple processing equipment would be provided to them on credit basis. For the working capital, weaned young participants would be introduced to the appropriate financial institution.
The YIAP is under the leadership of The National Coordinator, and supported by four (4) Coordinators namely as follows;
1.         National Programme Coordinator                   Alhahi E.A. Mahama
2.         Coordinator, Crops/Block Farm                     Mr. Emmanuel Akuna
3.         Coordinator, Aquaculture/Fisheries                Mr. Francis Gao
4.         Coordinator, Livestock & Poultry                  Mr. Julius Nukpeza
5.         Coordinator, Agribusiness                              Rev. Mrs.Nyvieme Adiapena

Details of activities, financial commitments and plans for this year, 2011 would be made known to you by the National Coordinator, Alhaji Adam Mahama, after you have finally settled.

Program to attract Africa’s youth to agriculture launched in Kenya

An IITA project seeking to entice the educated youth to go into agriculture and agribusiness was established in Makueni County in Kenya, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and Makueni County Government and officially launched on 10 March.
The Makueni Youth Agripreneurs (MYA) project, based at the University of Nairobi, Kibwezi station, brings together university graduates in the region from diverse backgrounds. They will be trained on modern farming methods, processing of and value addition to agricultural produce, and entrepreneurship. The project will be replicated in other parts of the country to engage more of the youth in agriculture and contribute to reducing the country’s high unemployment rate.
The initiative is part of a larger program called IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA), started three years ago in Nigeria by Dr Nteranya  Sanginga, IITA’s Director General. This program aims to tackle the twin challenges of youth unemployment and the need to increase agricultural production to supply food for a rapidly increasing population.

The Makueni project was officially launched at an event at the IITA-Kenya offices at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe).by Oscar Musembi Marco, Kibwezi West Sub-County Administrator, on behalf of the Makueni County Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana and its Deputy Governor, Hon. Adelina Ndeto Mwau.
Mr Marco lauded the initiative, saying it was much needed in the Makueni County in its current efforts to transform itself and become self-reliant on food. “Through this youth program we are on the right path to transform Makueni County from being food insecure to becoming a breadbasket of the country,” he said, “and change the youth in Makueni from being job seekers to job creators.”
He added that the Makueni County government had set aside Kshs 25 million (US$277,330) to give low interest loans to young people, women, and those with disabilities. He urged the youth to take advantage of this incentive.
Dr Sanginga, who was also at the event, said Makueni County had been selected so the youth could support the Institute’s efforts in providing a solution to  aflatoxins―those deadly chemicals produced by molds which attack maize and other grains―as the area was one of the hotspots for the problem in the country.
“IITA is setting up a factory to produce aflasafe, a biological control solution to aflatoxins. The technology requires sorghum to be used as a carrier. The youth will produce and supply the factory with sorghum,” he said. “They will create employment and, at the same time, produce a great public good for the people of Makueni.”
He further added that the program was a start and would be replicated throughout the country; members of the group would be involved in outreach and the training of other young men and women.
He said that the IYA program had received much support from donor agencies and was well on track to reach its target to spread the program to 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Prof Geoffrey Kironchi from the University of Nairobi, one of the collaborators in the project, said the University had donated part of its 1200 acres of land and greenhouses at its Kibwezi station to MYA to grow vegetables through irrigation as a start-off activity. He added that the project, bringing together those from different backgrounds, could be instrumental in attracting the youth to agriculture.
“Our youth are not attracted to agriculture yet there are a lot of opportunities in the sector. We all have to eat every day. There is also a lot of food wasted and uneven distribution. While some parts of the country have an abundant food supply all year, others are constantly faced with famine and starvation.” 
This was echoed by Prof Nancy Karanja also from the University of Nairobi. She said the University was fully committed to the project and its endeavor to create youth employment. “It’s very disheartening to us as teachers and parents when we find our students loitering around after graduation because there are no jobs,” she said. “And on the other hand as a country, we can only talk of development once we are able to feed ourselves.”
Others at the event were Dr Victor Manyong, IITA Director for Eastern Africa; Dr Bernard Vanlauwe, IITA Director for Central Africa; Dr Kristina Roing De Nowina, MYA Project Manager, representatives of IYA from Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, and representatives from other partner institutions.

The Next Big Thing -IITA Corporate Farmers Tv Reality ...

Welcome to Ify's Blog: The Next Big Thing - Corporate Farmers Tv Reality ...: This is Nigeria biggest Agriculture Evolution ever...... Corporate Farmers Tv Reality Show is Nigeria and Africa First Agrotainment Rea...

Agricultural reality show helps farmers talk to scientists

“Our model is and edutainment model. Entertain, meet information needs … build big audiences.” And big audiences can drive sustainability. So said David Campbell of The Mediae Company at a presentation Bringing Science to Life: CCAFS and Shamba Shape-Up, hosted by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) this Wednesday.
Mediae produces the popular TV show Shamba Shape-Up, a “make-over” style reality show for rural and peri-urban audiences that reaches over 10 million farmers in East Africa and gets double the audience of major Kenyan TV stations like KBC, KTN and NTV at primetime.
The show is changing the way people get their agricultural information. Research shows that Shamba Shape-Up viewers have greater understanding about agricultural topics than non-viewers – from composting, to nitrogen-fixing plants, to the benefits of silage.
At least 36 percent of Shamba Shape-Up viewers have changed their farming practices as a result of the show – including choosing different seed varieties, intercropping maize and beans and storing maize.

David Campbell of the Mediae Company. An innovative collaboration between researchers and the makers of the hit television show ‘Shamba Shape-Up’ connects farmers with knowledge on sustainable agriculture.

“We’re basically offering [the development sector] a pipeline – very large numbers of people on a regular basis, not just a one-off documentary,” said Campbell, a media specialist and recognized leader in development communications. “People know where [the show] is, they’re coming to it, they’re listening to it, the numbers are building.”
TV, which according to Campbell, might cost a Kenyan family “a really good goat”, is a crucial and growing source for outside information. And surprisingly, Mediae’s audience isn’t restricted to families with “two cars and a washing machine” – it’s predominantly rural.
But its Mediae’s use of mobile technology that’s really revolutionizing knowledge sharing, by putting farmers on the phone with scientists. Farmers can submit questions via SMS and Mediae connects them with experts at organizations like CCAFS or CARE International who offer answers. Over 170,000 farmers have already tapped into the service and those numbers are growing.
One of the company’s goals is to use mobile technology to form farmer groups. “The objective is to connect [farmers] with new potato seed varieties,” said Campbell. Mediae can learn how many people want particular seed potato varieties and put partner organizations directly in touch with the farmers.
Mediae has also built a knowledge-sharing platform, called the Africa Knowledge Zone. Campbell’s aim is to use the platform to connect millions of farmers to a range of research and development organizations.
So how does Mediae ensure that Shamba Shape-Up is not just a source of entertainment but can be translated into something beneficial by rural farmers? “We show the products…and explain their advantages via numbers, either very simply or with a full calculation,” he said. “We look for women farmers and try to address issues where women can earn more money and draw them into the program.” If neighbours and friends are making changes, he explains, the information also has a better chance of reaching the poor.
Bruce Campbell, director of CCAFS, who attended the event, asked how Mediae goes about extracting useful information from scientists.
The response was that the real challenge is not just getting a scientist to explain a subject in simple terms – it’s bringing research organizations on board in the first place. “The first step is actually getting research organizations to think seriously about talking to farmers. Without that, there’ll be no progress.”
CCAFS is already collaborating with Mediae to raise awareness about Climate Smart Agriculture – helping farmers adapt and become more resilient to climate change.
Patti Kristjanson, CCAFS Theme Leader on Linking Knowledge to Action is optimistic that the approach will grow and build. “This is an incredibly innovative way of using technologies to get research information to those who need it most – the farmers. This is what brings our science to life.”

Corporate Farmers Tv Reality Show - Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation

 

Akin Alabi, Prince Ade Ajayi are young Nigerian Agropreneurs, inspired by food policies  adopted by H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo’s governments during his time as leader of Nigeria and the resurgence of interest in Agri-business. With collaboration with professional in the Agric Researh, Media and Agric Extension professionals has come up with a unique concept to motivate more African Youth to venture into the Agro-Business arena via “Agrotainment

As economic development in the African context has moved to secondary and service industries in recent years, the Abandonment of rural enterprise in Nigeria and other parts of Africa is growing by the day. Factors which make the young and old migrate from rural to Urban settings include Overpopulation, loss of interest in Agriculture, climate change (including drought and failed rains), poverty and insecurity.

 Corporate Farmers Tv Reality Show is the first to be developed in Africa as an “Agrotainment” platform whose mission is to lure the Youth back to the farm and bring passion for economic empowerment through agribusiness.

The inspiration for this project is in no small part to celebrate the living legend farmer, the only Agbeloba of our generation Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It is our hope that the participants in the show will emulate Baba’s passion for agriculture. The concept was born to bridge the need to improve the Agriculture sector in the country in which both the Federal Government and State governments appear to be pursuing with dexterity, the growth of Agriculture through the AgricultureTransformation A g e n d a (ATA)·an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under the ministerial leadership of the former Minister of Agriculture Dr Akinwunmi Adesina.

How it will work:

40 various youths in groups of 5 to 8 will be selected to live in the “Farm House” 3 months.

What will they do

 The project is scheduled to run for a period of one year broken down into 3 sections

First : registration, selection and Auditioning of contestants to choose the 40 young Farmers that will enter the farm house

Second Quarter: 40 contestants enters the farm house for a  period of 3 months to do Agriculture in another dimension via our Agricultural Technical team from IITA , Agricultural Society of Nigeria.  After which 5 will be selected as winner for the Corporate Farmers TV Reality show season 1.

Third Quarter: This period is the time to celebrate Agriculture in Nigeria and Africa through the first Nigeria Agrotainment Award to celebrate Farmers, youth, and Federal states who have contributed to the resurgence of Agriculture.

This proposed project is already supported by IITA and ASON while we seek other interested partners.

Kindly follow any of our social media links for more info

Blogspot: www.corporatefarmers.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/corporatefarmers

Website: www.CFTVafrica.yolasite.com

Twitter: @corporatefarmerstv

Top 10 Lucrative Farming in Nigeria

1. Rice Farming – Nigeria has one of the world’s highest Rice consumption stat. Rice is by far one of the most popular staple food among Nigerians, almost every family eats rice daily in Nigeria. In 2011 alone, Nigeria spent N991 Billion on Rice importation and the rice we import is said to be nothing less than 10 years old in storage. That means we spends billions buying Rice that has since lost it’s nutritional values.

Any entrepreneur in Nigeria who goes into Rice Farming and get it right is sure to be smiling to the bank. A bag of Rice is currently sold for N8,000 to N10,000 depending on the quality. A farmer who is able to invest in large scale Rice Farming in Nigeria and produced 100,000 Bags of processed Rice in a year, sell at wholesale price of about N7,000 per bag, he will be making 7,000 x 100,000 = N700,000,000 ($5.5 Million)

You can achieve the above figures conveniently with less than Two hundred million Naira ($1.3 Million) capital investment! I’m currently looking for who to partner with in this. If you have the cash, I have the logistics and good plannings to achieve that. Serious investors only!

2. Cassava Farming -The popularity of cassava as the major source of food for Nigerians dates back to ages. Between Garri and Rice, it’s hard to tell which one is the most popular as both are the most consumed food staples among the citizens — I think if one is the King the other should be the Queen.


A bag of Garri costs almost the same as a bag of rice, and apart from garri, there are tens of other food stuffs that are processed from Cassava in Nigeria. The introduction of the high yield species of Cassava has made it possible for Nigerian Cassava Farmers to produce more Cassava per plot. Nearly every land in Nigeria is good for growing Cassava and 1 Acre, when properly planted and managed can produce Thousands of Naira worth of Cassava in a year!

3. Plantain Plantation – One thing I like about Plantain is that when planted once, it keeps producing year in year out for eternity. Like Rice and Garri, Plantain is widely consumed in Nigeria and you know — any food that is popular in Nigeria is always a huge income earner due to the population of the country.


I really haven’t seen Farmers in Nigeria taking advantage of the opportunity in Plantain Farming to create wealth for themselves. Plantain is highly priced in Nigeria and is always in high demand all year round. Fry it, Boil it, Roast it — it will never get angry with you, that’s how liberal Plantain is. I can tell you, Millions of Naira is currently lying fallow untapped in this sector of Farming in Nigeria.

4. Poultry Farming – Everyone knows how ‘Cashy’ this one is, it doesn’t need much introduction and yet it’s still not fully tapped. What we currently have are few badly managed, scantily equipped poultry farms here and there. I’m yet to see a full fledged, high tech Poultry Farm as it is in The USA and Europe except Obasanjo’s Farm which I don’t think is currently in serious business.

Any serious entrepreneur who is able to fire this up will have huge profit to contend with. The reason is because Nigerians eat chicken more than snakes do and 70% of our consumption still based on importation. The egg is yet another goldmine!

5. Pineapple Farming – Money is sweet, everything sweet is money, and Pineapple is sweet. Ask any Australian Farmer and he will tell you how huge the income in Pineapple Farming is in their country. Any juice maker that doesn’t have Pineapple flavor variety in his product line is not yet in business. That tells you how popular Pineapple is, not only in Nigeria but Worldwide.

Nigeria seems to have better soil for Pineapple Farming than Australia where Farmers are making it big in the business. A Pineapple sells in Mile-12 market in Lagos for about N200 — If you are able to harvest one million in a year, you will earn least N80 x 1,000,000 = N80,000,000

6. Beans Farming – A bag of Beans costs twice more than a bag of Rice and garri the Northern Nigerians are making it big in Beans Farming, supplying almost all over Nigeria and beyond. But one thing is that, this same Beans also can do very well in the South East, South West, and South South Nigeria soils. So why only the North?

7. Catfish Farming – Catfish Business is really hyping in Nigeria right now but how many are really getting it right? Get it right and you’re in money. A single Catfish sells for N700 in Restaurants and about N400 in open market.

8. Goat Rearing – It’s only in the North that goat is reared in commercial quantity. I don’t know why we are so looking down on Farming Investment in the South even though there are millions to be made in this business. Why would you chose to sell used shoes in Oshodi and make few thousands of Naira yearly than to engage in productive Farm Business and make millions of Naira?

In The USA and Australia, Farmers are among the Richest people – Get involved in professional goat rearing and make money for yourself. A full grown goat sells for between N15,000 to N40,000

9. Snail Farming – I see Snail Farming really picking up in Nigeria very soon — but if you don’t hurry up, others would have made the money before you realize what you are missing.  The potential in this business for you is about N50,000,000 Annual revenue.


10. Maize Farming – You never know the profit in Maize Farming in Nigeria until you try it, and one thing I like about it is that everything happens fast. It takes less than Four months between planting and harvesting.


Stand up. Get involved in any of these Farming and you will never regret it. Drop us a comment if you are in support of Farming Business in Nigeria!

Publication by Darlinton Omeh

Farming Investment in Nigeria

Farming in Nigeria has taken a dramatic turn to better directions in recent years, creating jobs and opportunities for Entrepreneurs who dare to go into farming Business. Millionaires are currently being made every year through Farming in Nigeria and there is no end to the prospects of creating more and more wealth through farming in the coming years.

There are good reasons why farming in Nigeria is currently doing very well and understanding these reasons will help any serious entrepreneur (no matter where he comes from) to think seriously about setting up Farm in Nigeria. (1) There is no any other African country where Farming is as viable as it should be in Nigeria in terms of productivity and profitability. (2) There is no other country where farmers are more advantaged as they are in Nigeria as regards demands — take a look at my top five reasons you need to start Farming in Nigeria now.

 Nigeria has a huge population of over 150 Million people, twice more than the populations of Zimbabwe and South Africa combined. The entire population of Nigeria depends on staple foods produced from farms and other farm produces for their daily meals and sustenance — and more than 80 percent of Nigerians buy their Farm Produce from the market.

(2) Nigeria has very large expanses of fertile farmlands laying fallow for nothing. Nigeria Land area when measured in sq km is about 910,770. The Land area of any country is the country’s total area, excluding areas that are considered to be water bodies. So, Nigeria has one of the biggest expanse of Land in Africa of which 70 percent is available for Farming.

(3) Nigerian Government is seriously turning it’s attention to promoting Farming in Nigeria to help boost food productions in the country and minimize foods importation. The government is willing to assist any would be Farming entrepreneur/investors with the necessary supports and logistics.

(4) Nigerians have very high purchasing power, far more than any other indigenous Africans — we buy things here and we pay cash! Talk about parties, Nigeria is the most merriment people on earth — the foods used for parties and merriment in Nigeria yearly can feed four other African countries.

(5) By the time Nigeria attain it’s full capacity utilization is agriculture, Farming in Nigeria will become great foreign currency earner more than as it already is. The implication is that Nigerian Farmers will be able to earn in Naira and in Dollars as well as Euros and Pound Sterling.

The prospect for Farming in Nigeria is so high that only a fool will ignore it. Having said that, let’s take a closer look at some of the types of Farming that does very well in Nigeria.