By Na’eema Attahiru Isa & Denis Demenenge
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono has commended the leadership of the National Assembly committee on Agriculture for immensely contributing to the development of Agriculture in Nigeria.
Nanono gave the commendation at a National Seed retreat 2020 held at the Institute for Agricultural Research IAR Conference Hall, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on Thursday 27/02/2020
The Minister noted that the commitment of the National Assembly in promoting Agricultural development gives him some comfort and hope that if political leaders will start thinking along that line, the nation will move forward.
He expressed concern that the country with a population of 200 million and has been forecast to reach 400 million in the next three decades and therefore, there will be more mouths to feed and that what Nigeria produces is also exported to some countries within the West African Sub-region, stressing that Nigeria controls almost 75 percent of the Gross Domestic Products of those countries.
Nanono explained that seed is an important element in Agriculture, noting that before reaching the seed is the research for getting a good seed and that even in the ways of local social lives, farmers also look for good seeds.
The Minister said with the large population of the country, to feed its citizens there is need for thorough research, agricultural mechanization and looking at agriculture as an awesome enterprise, giving the necessary linkages between agriculture and the industrial sector.
Also speaking, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, Honourable Muntari Dan-Dutse stated that quality seed has been recognized as the most important input in boosting Agricultural production.
Dan-Dutse said it has been estimated that over 50% improvement in agricultural production has come from the use of improved seeds.
The lawmaker argued that no agricultural practices, be it irrigation, fertilization and mechanization can improve crop production beyond the limit set by improved quality seeds is key to achieving the food security, poverty reduction and employment generation.
He said the government of Nigeria in considering that a legal instrument is necessary to promote, stimulate and regulate the activities of research, seed production, processing, marketing, distribution, export and import as well as control of seed quality, so that agricultural producers have access to adequate supply of high quality seeds of improved cultivars and hybrids promulgated the National Agricultural Seeds Decree No. 72 on 23rd November, 1992.