BJAN 2020: Experts dissect ways of building economy through agriculture

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agricultural sector have canvassed for more support from the federal government in the area of protective policies for local farmers and the provision of adequate infrastructure in order to stir up the possibility of jump-starting the much desired industrialization Nigeria needs, for her economic  development, especially in this times of recession.

The stakeholders disclosed this at the 2020 Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) conference held penultimate week in Lagos with the theme: “Consolidating Nigeria’s Agricultural Revolution: Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons.

Delivering the keynote address at the conference, President, Organization of Technology Advancement of Cold Chains, West Africa (OTACCWA), Mr. Tunde Okoya dwelt extensively on developing a blueprint for a national cold chain in Nigeria as a key strategy to consolidate the expansion and growth of agriculture in the country.

In Okoya’s words. “According to FAO, post-harvest loss of many agric products in Nigeria could be as high as 50% so invariably, a lot of production by our farmer goes into waste along the value chain and that cannot be a very productive way for any country.

“The problem is that, even though we are producing a lot, a large percentage of the production is going into waste. With an effective cold chain policy, Agriculture in Nigeria will soar to greater heights”.

Another speaker, Mr Richard Mark Mbaram, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture on Communication, called on journalists to hold the government accountable to the citizenry.

Speaking through a representative, wondered why media practitioners often accept things without making efforts to get into details of such announcements in order to make the government stand firm on their policies.

Describing the Anchor Borrower programme introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as one of the programmes which journalists should bring their interrogative minds to bear, he reminded journalists that the general public often rely on what journalists feed them.

He said, “Most of those programmes on agricultural developments are only heard on pages of newspapers or on the television screens while the direct farmers are not aware of such funds or any subsidy released for farmers.

Also commenting, Mr. Sakin Agbeyewa, Deputy Chairman of Lagos state All Farmers Association of Nigeria, who represented his chairman Femi Oke stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural sector needs a lot of subsidy, not just in form of cash to farmers but through the provision of a conducive atmosphere.

In his words, “The subsidy we are calling for is not in the form of cash to our members. The subsidy we want is ready- to- plant lands. By clearing bush for our members, by helping us to interface with all types of land owners who gather to disturb during planting and harvesting period.

“In the northern part, farmers are being preventing from going to farms  to harvest their crops by terrorists that are forcing them to heavy dues for them to access their farms products, subsidy is also in form of provision of bulldozers for land, swamp-dozers for swampy areas, provision of food preservers for perishable products.”

Earlier in his remark, the Chairman, Brand Journalists Association Of Nigeria (BJAN), Mr Princewill Ekwujuru explained that the body decided to shift slightly from core issues in the world of brands and marketing to an area the association felt it can stir up the possibility of jump-starting the much desired industrialization Nigeria needs, for her economic development, especially in this times of recession.

In Ekujuru’s words, “Our focus on Agriculture this year is motivated by the passion to deepen discussions in an area we believe can extensively provide answers to the endless calls for the diversification of our economy and create big brands across all touch-points of its long value chain.

“It is our belief that at the end of this conference, we will generate germane ideas that economic planners, both at the state and national levels, can draw from, to push brand Nigeria out of the current economic recession to a higher level”.

Other speakers were the President, Rice Millers Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, Dr Tunji Owoeye; the National Deputy President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Segun Atho and the Managing Director/CEO, NOSAK Group, Mr Thomas Oloriegbe.

At the conference, awards were also given to outstanding personalities and brands. Award recipients include, First bank, Multi- choice, Startimes Go, BAT, UBA, Lanre Adisa of Noah’s Ark Advertising and many others.

Caption for pix:  President, Organization of Technology Advancement of Cold Chains, West Africa (OTACCWA), Mr. Tunde Okoya delivering his keynote address at the conference