Even though industries and agriculture are the main focal point for the government's agro-economic policies, there is an issue with its implementation.
FREMONT, CA: Industrial and agricultural revolutions have always been at the focal point of the government’s agro-economic policies, intending to diversify the economy’s basis while using crude oil as a springboard. However, inaccurately conceived and hastily designed strategies, as well as grossly inadequate implementation, have hampered the success of such policies, with the consequence being a monocultural economy. This has further resulted in the country becoming a net importer of food and industrial products, as well as high inflation, unemployment, extreme poverty, and struggling industrial sectors.
However, the African Development Bank's (AfDB) Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), as advocated by the bank's President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development with extensive knowledge of the agro-economic space, appears to offer a ray of hope in terms of the agro-industrial revolution. SAPZs is likely to be introduced in seven participant states in the first phase. Construction is expected to increase value chain commodities in Cross River State (cocoa, rice, and cassava), the Federal Capital Territory (beef and dairy livestock), Kaduna State (tomato, maize, and ginger), Imo State (beef and dairy livestock), Kano State (rice, tomato, groundnuts, and sesame oil), Kwara State (livestock), Oyo State (livestock (cassava, soybean, rice), and Ogun State (cassava, rice, poultry, and fisheries).
Supporting the development of enabling climate-adapted infrastructure for agro-Industrial Hubs (AIHs); improving agricultural productivity and enterprise development in the SAPZ catchment areas to enhance agricultural value chains and job creation; supporting agro-industrial zone policy and institutional development, and programme coordination and management are the four units of the programme. In the first phase, the SAPZ is expected to produce infrastructure for eight Agro-Industrial Processing Hubs (AIHs), 15 Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs), 2,300 hectares of irrigated farmland, and farm-to-market access roads; skills development for farmers and MSMEs; supply of certified agricultural inputs and extension services; an updated agro-industrial zone policy, and the installation of regulatory institutions.
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