Enemies By Design: How The US And USSR Shaped Each Other's Identity

By Polycarp Onwubiko

It is unfortunate that the youths of Nigeria out of extreme exasperation embarked on what was described as "#Endbadgovernace" in Nigeria. Their grouse could without doubts was mainly abject lack of gainful employment which triggered youth restiveness cum sundry antisocial activities.

Giving that almost all the sectors of governance in Nigeria are performing below par, the country can still bounce back to life by making what God graciously endowed her which is vast natural resources with agriculture toping the list.

Giving that the country operates federal system of government, sub national governments which are the state and local governments are in a very good position to explore the vast agricultural resources within their jurisdiction with substantial budgetary provisions in agriculture. The state governments should recognize that time has come for a paradigm shift from traditional method of farming to commercial farming including the innovative regenerative agriculture futuristically being put in place by Governor Soludo.

State governments should embark on purchasing modern implements for  mechanized farming which go with quantum value chains that will substantially make for exports to generate foreign exchange needed for industrialization which has the potentiality for massive employments, wealth creation and reduction of grinding poverty and penury.

The essence of the clamour for the diversification of the economy is to remove the constitutional impediment that prevent sub national governments from going the whole hog in exploring and exploiting the natural and mineral resources within their jurisdiction which is an effective solution to unemployment ravaging the country which constituted the youths restiveness.

The fact is that if there is serious commitment by the state governments to mechanized farming, the youths will definitely realize that farming with the extensive researches that will bring out enormous value chains will be a very profitable engagements. The prevalence of trooping to foreign countries in search of means of livelihood will stop because it is not all that rosy in those countries our youths are blindly trooping into even as many die especially in the deserts and boat tragedy.

Most importantly in exploring the vast opportunities in farming is the serious about waging ferocious war against the herdsmen rapine ravaging almost the entire landscape of the country. Fact remains that unless the country is rid of the ravages being caused by the itinerant herders, the efforts in investing in agriculture will yield minimal dividends.

There is no gainsaying the fact that making the most of agricultural resources is a sure route to drive a more sustainable economic growth and development with quantum leap in the country's GDP.

It will be futile to float some of the past programmes to boost agricultural sector like "Anchor's Borrowers and Trader-Moni which were marred by political expediency. In other words, state governments which oversee the entire areas are strategically placed to give agriculture the required boost as they control land of the jurisdiction.

For the state governments to be frontliners in giving agriculture the required boost, there is need to review the statutory revenue allocation formula so that the state governments will embark on massive road rehabilitation not only in the urban and semi urban centers but in the hinterlands which are the bastion of agricultural resources and exploitation.

The farm products definitely need to be evacuated by good road network to the urban centres to boost the income of farmers as an incentive to cultivate more areas. In addition to road rehabilitation, the envisaged surplus farm products need storage facilities to guard against wastage and subsequent loss of income.

Only the state governments have the financial muscle to procure state of the art farm inputs, irrigation facilities, employment of degree holders as agricultural extension officers and emphasis on research and development for modified seeds and crop multiplication, vast expanse of land for cash crop production with long life span, incentive for agro-business venture, ranches, fertilizers, logistics and storage facilities to prevent post-harvest losses and wastage,  in addition to credit facilities to the farmers.

It may be needless to emphasize that the only option to prevent nationwide protests is a mechanized farming to assure quantum food production to drive hunger and increase nutrition which is a pathway to reduce maternal and child mortality and more importantly to increase the standard of living and increase higher age limit.