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ABSTRACT FOR PROFESSOR HASSAN AYOOLA TIJANI-ENIOLA'S INAUGURAL LECTURE

ABSTRACT FOR PROFESSOR HASSAN AYOOLA TIJANI-ENIOLA'S INAUGURAL LECTURE

COMPETING WITH THE COMPETITORS IN AN ENDLESS COMPETITION

Abstract

Global food security is a growing concern with rising food prices due to consumers demand, increasing demand for biofuel and other industrial uses and increased weather variability, all of which influence the competition for available limited resources between agriculture and other sectors, as well as competitions within agricultural systems. Competition between agriculture and other sectors of the economy leads to decline in agricultural produce. Urbanization for example leads to loss of agricultural land and an urban bias in public funding for infrastructure, services and subsidies. Mineral resources exploration leads to pollution of agricultural fields and destruction of the sources of livelihood of the host communities.

Unhealthy competition exists between agriculture and trade for bank loans; treasury managers prefer less risky exposures outside agriculture and rural enterprise. Unhealthy competition also exists between arable farmers and the nomadic cattle herders. Competition exists for farm labour between agriculture and “okada” riding. There are endless inter-and intra-specific competitions between weeds and crops and even between crops and crops, all the competitions lead to decline in food production.

Competition between agriculture and other sectors of the economy is reflected in the denial or poor attention given to agriculture in the struggle to share limited resources including land, labour and capital. A sustainable farming system should take the socio-economic circumstances of the farmers into consideration through a “bottom top” approach. It has to be eco-friendly and affordable for effective crop and livestock production in time and space in order to mitigate the influences of the ever changing and endless competitions between agriculture and other sectors of the economy.

There is need for effective supply chain network structure which involves various stages including consumers, retailers, distributors, manufacturers and raw material suppliers.

· Nigeria needs to diversify her economy and harness to the fullest her agricultural potentials.

· Nigeria also needs to re-route savings made from blocked leakages and funds usually lost to un-patriotic budgetary items in the overheads and capital budgets of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to agricultural development.

· Agricultural Youth Development Programmes should be made available in rural areas to train youths in modern farming techniques so as to improve their knowledge and make farming more attractive to them.

· Local development plans should be established to reduce cattle rearers and crop farmers’ conflicts in different parts of the country.

· Supportive fiscal policies should be in place: - lower taxes and duties on farm inputs and machineries are to be paid.

· Market information systems should be made available for farmers’ use in order to have adequate planning and circumvent risks and uncertainties.

· Insurance for farmers and farm produce as well as necessary supports like pipe-borne water and clinics, provision of ambulances dedicated for use of rural dwellers will go a long way to reduce rural-urban migration, hence, more agricultural productivity.