Business
Director Tasks FG On Cash Crops
The Director, FCT Archives and History Bureau, Mr Charles Nnodim, on Sunday called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency revive cultivation of cash crops, as they had the potential to boost the country’s economy.
Nnodim told our correspondent in Abuja that cash crops such as cotton, cocoa, palm-oil, millet, timber and groundnut among others could boost the economy of the country.
He said that cocoa which was a great potential in the 50s to nation building had been neglected since the discovery of oil in the 70s.
“Those days cocoa was our main cash crop. The tallest building (Cocoa House) in Ibadan was built with cocoa money but we have abandoned it since the discovery of oil and which is not suppose to be.
“Nigeria in its regional form then depended so much on agriculture, whatever we have achieved before and after Independence came from agriculture and subsistence farmers were able to make money then for their living.”
He also recalled the famous groundnut pyramid in Kano State.
‘The groundnut pyramid was well known at home and abroad with Nigeria, it contributed to our economy then and also created job opportunities for our youths.
“ We depend on foreign clothes mostly now because we do not have cotton for our textiles industries, and palm oil production has reduced drastically, all these cash crops must be revitalised.
He, however, commended the Federal Government for making conscious effort to improve agriculture, adding that concrete policies must be put in place to achieve the successes at the long run.