Director-General, West
African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Prof. Akpan Ekpo has said that the youth should be given incentives, such as land and working capital, to go into farming.
Ekpo, an economist, told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that with such incentives, the youth would see farming as business.
He also said that the ban on the importation of food products would increase agricultural activities in the country.
“Nigerian youths are not interested in farming anymore because they do not see it as lucrative business but with incentives many of them may develop the interest.
“Government also needs to ban food imports as such will encourage increased agricultural food production in the country.
“Modern farming needs to be encouraged so that people can go into agriculture,’’ he said.
Ekpo advised that farmers should be given low interest rate loans to encourage them remain in farming.
He advised that government should build a factory where perishable goods could be used to manufacture other products rather than allow it to spoil in the hands of the farmers.
He also advised that government should create an enabling environment by providing facilities, such as power supply and access to credit, for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to achieve diversification.
“It is important to determine why SMEs cannot access several government intervention funds,’’ Ekpo said.
He urged the government to persuade investors by letting them know that the economy would be better managed in future and was also winning the war of insurgency.
Ekpo said foreign investments had declined by almost 45 per cent.
“Doing business in Nigeria is not that easy but If government can fix the power problem, doing business will be better and such will boost investors interested in the country,’’ he said.