‘FG’s Diversification Efforts Good For Economy’

Efforts by the present ad
ministration at the federal level in diversifying the economy have been identified as reason for the survival of the economy despite the fall in oil prices.
Making the assertion yesterday in a telephone interview with our correspondent, a lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Engr. Umor Mensah said but for the aggressive approach of the federal government in its agricultural transformation agenda (ATA), programme, the fall in oil prices could have spelt doom for the nation’s economy.
According to him, more than ever before in the history of the country, more graduates have become agric business people through various programmes initiated by the present administration.
Mensah explained that experience has shown today that the mindset of many people has changed from regarding agriculture as a subsistence venture to that of strictly business undertaking.
“Before now, agriculture was regarded as an occupation for the lowly in society which was basically meant for the locals.
“Today, all that have changed as most graduates who could not secure white collar jobs are into one agrobusiness venture or the other”, he said.
He further explained that strengthening of some government agencies like the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, (NEPC) has also helped in selling the countries products abroad which has in no small measure boosted the nations foreign exchange resource.
While commending the efforts of the federal government at the ministry of agriculture and rural development, Mensah appealed to the federal government to equip the various universities of agriculture in the country to enable them compete favourable with their counterparts abroad in the area of research and development. On the provision of agric inputs to farmers across the country, he further commended the agric ministry for the introduction of the e-wallet payment system to farmers.
He said much as the system has enabled genuine farmers to have direct access to agric inputs, it has also frustrated the negative efforts of middle men and fake political farmers in the agricultural sector of the economy.

Women preparing food during a practical session on processing Food for School Feeding and Family Noruishment organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Gombe State recently.