Agriculture

Are you planning of going into organic farming in Nigeria? Or do you want to know the basic organic farming practices in Nigeria? Whichever way, this post is here to educate you on all you have to know about organic agriculture in Nigeria.

To start with, you need to understand simple definition of organic farming. Organic farming can be defined as the natural way of growing livestock and crops. It is natural because you don’t need to apply fertilizer, synthetic pesticide or any form of chemical on your farm.

In order words, becoming an organic farmer entails going back to ancient way of farming. That means you’ll never apply any modern farming tools such as tractors or pesticide.

It is very hectic form of farming with great reward to the environment. Above all, it is a source of producing healthy and most natural foods while preserving our environment.

Having the clear view of what organic farming is all about, let’s move on to the exact steps on how to start it.

How to Star Organic Farming in Nigeria

To start on a very good track, it is wise you register with association of organic agriculture practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN). It is a non-governmental association with full responsibility of ensuring smooth running of organic farming in Nigeria among stakeholders. The NOAN secretariat is located in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state.

Mind you, registering with the association is not compulsory but it is good because you’ll learn more from there.

The next step is finding the right location. Location is everything when it comes to organic agriculture in Nigeria.  This means getting a fertile land. In most cases you should go for a virgin land, which has not been tilled or farm on before. Also observe the water quality on the soil and create good drainage.

Also Read: How to Start a Profitable Maize Farming in Nigeria

Clearing is the next thing to do. You should not burn or use heavy machines in clearing because it will do away with the natural or organic component of the soil.

Next is to to enrich the soil using natural enricher such as compost manure, green manure, vermicomposting and lime.

Planting:

In organic farming practice, planting is different from traditional farming. In this case, you should practice multi-cropping. This means planting different seasonal crop simultaneously on the same farm land to maintain plant diversity.

Challenges of Organic Farming in Nigeria

Every organic farmer in Nigeria face the challenges of pest attacking the farm, need for fertilizer, capital and finding natural disease resisting crops.

To overcome these challenges, you must adhere to established facts that have helped many become successful organic farmers.

To solve the pest attack, you are to extensively practice crop rotation on the farm land. Crop rotation breaks the disease cycle peculiar to certain crop. For instance, if you plant maize this season there is possibility of having maize attacking pest on the land. To kill them next season will mean planting a crop that they cannot attack thereby starving them to death.

Another way of overcoming the pest problem in organic farming in Nigeria is the use of natural ingredient such neem and other natural bio-pesticide.

To get the issue of fertilizer solved, you’re advised to use natural fertilizer such as compost and green manure. In a lay man language, you can use animal waste (shit) to supplement the use of synthetic fertilizer.

Getting the right crop is usually the major problem. But there are two ways to go around it. Firstly, search for crops that grow naturally in the region you are. They are known as indigenous crops because they grow with or without fertilizer in the area.

The second way is to thoroughly wash the treated crops with water before planting. Also, propagation is another way of getting chemical free crops.

Mulching is a standard practice in organic farming because it helps preserve the natural component and water moisture on the farm.

Above all, the greatest challenge of organic farming in Nigeria is capital. Organic farming is a high cost investment because you need more workers to get the job done.

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of organic farming in Nigeria.

Advantages of Organic Farming in Nigeria

• Organic farming helps in preserving and preventing our environment for degradation.
• The use of organic manure produces healthy food while increasing the fertility of the soil
• Organically grown plants have high resistance to diseases and insect, hence does not require chemical for storage
• Organic food are poison free because no form of chemical is used in the process

Disadvantages of Organic Farming in Nigeria

• It is a very expensive adventure
• Any successful attack by pest is usually severe and damaging
• They make food very expensive because it cost much to produce organic farm produce
• Organic farming increase the food insecurity because it does not guarantee production of large food product the world need

Organic Farming in Nigeria – Conclusion

Reading to this point real means you’re interested in farming or organic agriculture in Nigeria. Yes, farming be it organic or inorganic is usually a profitable venture. One of the major problems most Nigerians considering going into agriculture and agricultural business is lack of right information.

Also Read: How to Start Profitable Export Business in Nigeria

Therefore, to get it right, you must source for the right information, which is why you are here now. To be candid, this post I not to send you to the farm from here, instead it is to prepare your mind toward great organic farming practice.

Most cases, I usually refer my readers to state and federal ministry of agriculture. Because they have detailed info on any agricultural related issue in Nigeria. Therefore, if you are buoyant enough to go into organic farming in Nigeria then don’t hesitate visiting the ministry today.

Do you need info on reliable agric business investment in Nigeria? Do you need a bankable agric business plan? Then contact me through the “contact us” link above

Maize is one of the commonest foods in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. With the fast-growing population in Nigeria, maize farming in Nigeria is promising. When I say the commonest food, I mean maize is the food that both the wealthy and the poor rely on.

It is also known as corn and it grows virtually in all states of Nigeria. Therefore, if you’re thinking of going into maize farming in Nigeria, then this post is for you.

There are various ways to prepare maize meals, which is why nobody in Nigeria will say he or she doesn’t eat corn. It is processed as pap, popcorn, flour. Also, it can be eating roasted, cooked and fried. Therefore it is for everyone, which is why maize farming in Nigeria is a very lucrative one.

In this post, I am going to cover a business plan for commercial maize farming in Nigeria and the best season for maize farming in Nigeria. In other words, this is a comprehensive maize farming guide for Nigerians.

Maize Farming in Nigeria – Business Plan

Most Nigerian farmers are peasant farmers, which means they only farm for food. So, this maize farming business plan is for those considering going into commercial maize farming in Nigeria. This is a plan for a hectare of land in the northern part of Nigeria.

Research has shown that one hectare of land can produce 150,000 curb of corn. So, have that in mind while we calculate what it will cost you to have such a harvest.

Outright Purchase of land (15 plots)……………………………………………………….N2, 000,000

Clearing………………………………………………………………………………………………….N300, 000

Cost of hybrid corn………………………………………………………………………………….N150, 000

Cost of Fertilizer………………………………………………………………………………………N480, 000

Workmanship (Planters & Weeders)………………………………………………………..N700, 000

Harvesting and carriage…………………………………………………………………………..N250, 000

Miscellaneous………………………………………………………………………………………….N150, 000

Total………………………………………………………………………………………………………..N4030, 000

Note: Leasing of land will make the expenses very less, because leasing will cost between N400, 000 and N500, 000

This cost is valid as at the time of writing this business plan. It may vary as time goes on. So bear that in mind while studying the business plan.

From the figures above, it means you need a minimum of N4, 000,000 (Four Million Naira) to cultivate a hectare of maize farm.

Expected Sales

As I earlier stated, research shows that you can make up to 150,000 cubs of corn from a hectare. And the least you can sell a cub is N50. Therefore your expected sale will be:

150,000 * N50 = N7, 500,000

Expected Return on Investment

N7, 500,000 – N4030, 000 = 3,470,000

As rewarding and lucrative this venture can be, it comes with big challenges that may affect the profitability. In fact, in some cases, maize farmers lose their money to maize farming in Nigeria. Having said that, let’s look at problems of Maize Farming in Nigeria

Maize Farming in Nigeria- Problems

One of the major reasons investors lose money in this venture is the lack of adequate or proper information. Information is power. Yes, you need a reliable teacher to put you through in all areas of corn production.

I didn’t say you need a mentor. No, you need a teacher who will practice or who will take you by hand to get it done. So, how do you get such a teacher?

The best way to get one is to visit either the state or federal ministry of agriculture in your state. Believe you me; they have the most reliable information on their disposal on how to go for a commercial maize farming in Nigeria.

In fact, the ministries have the most recent research report and information on any agricultural products you want to go for in Nigeria.  In addition, they have professional farmers or educated farmers who are willing to teach you as long as you are ready to work with them.

The second problem of maize farming in Nigeria is an attack by the pest, locust, and birds. To solve this problem, you need to use the right pesticide at the right time. As for the bird or locust, you need the services of able-bodied men that will be guiding the farming usually in the day time.

Last but not least is weather condition. Sometimes the weather does not favor maize farming in Nigeria. There could be short rainfall or excess rainfall, therefore, you should be prepared for irrigation. Also, you should design the farm with the right drainage system in case of overflow.

Also Read: 10 Problems of Agriculture in Nigeria

How to Get the Best From Maize Farming in Nigeria

To get the best from maize farming, you should learn to plant at the right time. Above all, you should plant hybrid maize. I encourage planting the hybrid because they have high resistance to disease. In addition, they have high yielding results and low turn around periods.

Hybrid seed survives both in raining season and dry season making it viable all year round. For early-season planting, I suggest you go for

Yellow Open Pollinated Varieties. Western Yellow 1: TZSR-Y-1 (Streak Resistant)

DMR-LSRY (Downy Mildew & Streak Resistant).

Yellow Hybrids Varieties: 8425-8; 8329-15
White, Open Pollinated Varieties: TZPB (FARZ 27); TZB (FARZ 34); TZSR-W-1;

ZPBSR (Streak Resistant); DMR-LSRW (Downy Mildew & Streak Resistant).

DMR-LSRW (Downy Mildew & Streak Resistant).

White Hybrids: 8321-18; 9022-19; (Striga Resistant).

For late-season planting you can go for:

Yellow Open Pollinated Varieties: TZESR-Y;  DMR-ESRY (Downy Mildew and
Streak Resistant).

White, Open Pollinated Varieties: TZESR-W; DMR-ESRW (Downy Mildew and Streak Resistant)

Maize Farming in Nigeria – Conclusion

Without any doubt, maize farming in Nigeria is a very lucrative agricultural business you can start today. The market is readily available. It can be consumed in various forms, which is why the demand will always be higher than the supply.

Though, very rewarding but it comes with lots of challenges, that is why I strongly suggest you get the right information on how to about it. The state and federal ministries of agriculture is the best place you can visit for proper guide on how to start profitable commercial maize farming in Nigeria.

I hope you are clear on the basics of starting maize farming today.

Click Here For a  Bankable Business Plan for Maize Farming in Nigeria 

Tomato farming in Nigeria can be lucrative but that is only when you’ve the right information on how to go about it. To start and run a commercial tomato farming in Nigeria has been the dream of many. In fact, some have even ventured into it with little or nothing to show because they got it wrong from inception.

So, if you’re considering going into tomato farming in Nigeria, then this post is for you. It is a comprehensive tomato farming guide to help you start on the right track. I interviewed a seasoned tomato farmer with many years of experience.

Therefore, all you’re about reading is tapping into the giant’s world. Yes, I refer my guest as a giant because he cultivates hectares of tomatoes and has been on it for the last 6 years.

Meet our Expert Tomato Farmer

Our guest today is Mallam Iliyasu Jimoh a retired military officer who retired into tomato farming, and has never regretted it. Currently, he farms about 4 hectares of tomatoes here in Dambatta local government area of Kano state.

According to him, his state of origin is kogi but he chose to locate his farm in Kano state because both the weather and soil highly favor tomato farming in Nigeria. Other states where tomato are farmed in commercial quantities are Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi  Gombe and  Taraba.

This doesn’t mean you can’t grow tomato in other states of Nigeria but it requires hybrid species of tomatoes to grow in some states of Nigeria, especially the south-south and eastern region.

How Lucrative is Tomato Farming in Nigeria    

Tomato farming in Nigeria is very profitable and rewarding if you get it right. It has a turnaround period of between 3 and 4 months. That means you can plant and harvest tomatoes 3 to 4 times in year, which means big money for you.

The market is readily available. In fact, the demand is over 400% high than the supply because the population of over 180,000,000 Nigerians directly or indirectly consume tomatoes.

Tomato can be eating in different ways, raw or cooked, as an ingredient in many dishes, sauces, salads and drinks. It can be processed into paste and canned for easy usage. On average, you can produce more than 37,500 pounds of red ripe tomato fruits on one acre and you need about 5000 tomato plants for such output.

Financially, I cannot be specific on how much you can make as return on investment because it all depends on the size of your farm. But I am too sure that at any point in time, if you start on the right track, you’ll be making over 200% ROI per harvest time.

In fact, here in the north, you can start with as low as N100, 000 and grow it to the scale you want it over time. The wonderful thing about tomato farming in Nigeria is that the market is always there.  Individuals and processing companies book for it before maturity.

What is The Best Specie of Tomato to Farm?

For now, the best tomato specie I can recommend to anybody considering going into tomato farming in Nigeria is Shanty F1. It’s a hybrid tomato that grows in almost all states of Nigeria. It has high resistance to most tomato pests and diseases.

In addition, it does not spoil easily even under high temperature .Also it can usually get to the south and eastern part of the country in perfect condition because it has shell life of 14 days.

Shanty F1 has high yielding potential than every other specie available for farmer today. Therefore, I strongly recommend it to all intending tomato farmers.

Editor’s View

For the benefit of general knowledge, I made a research on other species of tomatoes. I find out that there are up to 7 varieties you need to know, which are:

• Beefsteak
• Plum tomatoes
• Cherry
• Grape
• Campari
• Tomberies
• Heirloom

How to Start Tomato Farming in Nigeria

There are 4 major steps of starting a tomato farm in Nigeria. They are:

• Acquiring or renting of land
• Deciding on the variety to plant
• Planting
• Harvesting

Let’s look deep into each step mentioned above.

Acquiring or Renting of Land

Acquiring of land either by outright purchase or renting is the first step you need to make. With vast land here in the north, it is usually cheap and easy to acquire land. As at time of this interview, you can get a hectare of land on outright purchase between N450, 000 and N600, 000.

But if you’re to lease, then you can get a hectare of land at the cost of N30, 000 to N50, 000 per planting and harvesting period.

An alternative to buying or renting is going into mutual agreement with the owner of the land. Yes, you’ll offer them some percentage or portion of the farm, from which they will make some money.

Whichever way you choose to do it; it is very possible and easier than you can imagine. The reality is that the northerners are always open to genuine and honest business partnership.

Deciding on The Specie to Plant    

Every specie of tomato grows in a high temperate area, which is why the northern state is the best place for it. So, it is up to you to decide on specie to go for depending on what you intended achieving.

Some buyers or companies will always tell you the specie they want because some species are good for particular purposes. But my candid advice to everyone going into commercial tomato farming in Nigeria is to go for shanty F1. It is a hybrid specie with a lot of advantages over others.

Planting

To plant your tomato, you must first of all make a nursery for it. You’ve to make a well secured nursery where you’ll plant the tomatoes in white cellophane of transparent plastic cups. Between 5 and 10 days the tomatoes will start germinating. Then between 2 weeks and 6 weeks after germinating you can transfer it to the main farm land.

If you want to get the best out of your farm, you must observe a planting space of between 24-36 inches. Planting below this space with affect the air flow around plants and that may result in disease.

Post Planting

After planting you need to constantly monitor the growth and performance of the plants. This is essential because the performance will determine whether to apply fertilizer or not. You should start weeding and applying fertilizer if need be 2 months after transplanting.

Harvesting

Your farm or tomatoes will be ready for harvest 3 months or 4 months after planting. You harvest in batches. After harvest, you can plant new set of tomatoes or allow the old plants to continue producing until the die off usually during dry season.

Challenges of Tomato Farming in Nigeria

The major challenge of tomato farming in Nigeria is lack of adequate storing facilities. Raw tomatoes are highly perishable; therefore need to be sold off immediately after harvest.

Lack of market for people that lack the marketing knowledge. Therefore I strongly advice people considering going into tomato farming in Nigeria to source the market first before starting.

[You May Like to Know] 10 Problems of Agriculture in Nigeria and Possible Solutions

Tomato Farming in Nigeria – Final Advice

My final advice to those considering going into tomato farming in Nigeria is to first of all start small. Try the terrain before investing much in it. It is a very profitable business as long as you are ready to work it out.

Start with improved or hybrid specie because they are resistance to pests and most tomato diseases. Also, they have high yielding potential thereby increasing return on investment.

Editor’s Version

If you want to invest in this business and you need a bankable business plan or one on one consultation, then contact me using the contact form above.

Recently, the rush into fish farming business in Nigeria made it look as if it is the most lucrative business in Nigeria. Though is lucrative. A lot of Nigerians more especially retirees jumped into fish farming business in Nigeria. Unfortunately, over 80% of them got their fingers burnt. I meant they lost huge amount of money to the venture.

Therefore, in this post, you’re going to learn why lots of them lost their money. And how to start profitable fish farming in Nigeria. You’ll equally learn the right fish farming in Nigeria tips and how to write a bankable fish farming business plan.

Everything topic I discuss here is mainly on catfish.

Before I proceed, I will like to ask, do you really want to make the best out of fish farming? If your answer is yes, then read on. To help you start on the right track, I consulted a professional fish farmer of 25 years of Experience.

He is the person of Mr. S.W. Ajimy and the owner of Ajimy lakes. An author of the bestselling fish farming business book in Nigeria titled “Practical Guide to Profitable Fish Farming Business”. He is an award winner of 2004 and 2005 best fish farmer in Bayelsa State under Central Bank of Nigeria Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme fund (ACGSF).

Mr. Ajimy was a mathematics lecturer with Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science Yenagoa. And a former General Manager Port-Harcourt flour mills, before going into full time fish farming.   So, he has all it takes to give you the best on how to start small scale fish farming in Nigeria and grow it to large scale.

Why Do Lot of People Lose in Fish Farming?

Fish farming business in Nigeria is like every other business you can think of. As such you’ve to start with the understanding of every detail about it. There are two reasons most people lose money in this business and the reasons are:

• Falling into the wrong hands of those claiming to be experts
• Lack of a proper or practicing mentor

Falling into the wrong hands of those claiming to be experts

I observed that it was those who just have faint ideas of fish farming in Nigeria tips went around blowing their trumpet that they have lucrative business for the masses. Invariably, they are just information marketers and people just fall victims in two ways. Firstly they paid high for a classroom fish farming seminar. Secondly, they lose money in the act.

Lack of Proper of Practicing mentor

Most people just jump into this business without guidance from anybody. Without proper education on how to start and grow it, which means they only want to learn through the hard way. Thereby, losing their money or capital to the venture while learning.

So, What Are The Tips to Start on The Right Track?

To start a profitable fish farming business in Nigeria, you need to have a practicing mentor by your side. In fact, you must be under his guidance for at least 4 months, learning directly under him using his farm or your own.

You need a bankable fish farming business plan. Remember, if you fail to plan then you’ve planned to fail. Therefore, your business plan will contain a blueprint or step by step guide on everything you must do to succeed. No matter how small or big you want to start, you need a roadmap from an expert.

What Really is Fish Farming?

Fish farming is the act of raising species of fish in a controlled medium of water. It can be done on a river, lake, pond, cages, tanks and pens. Your environment largely depends on the type of fish farm to establish.

We in the riverine areas practice lake, river and pond, while people in the northern areas of Nigeria can use pens and river. But whichever method you want to use, I strongly advise you to use cage because it helps in easy harvesting. The principles of fish farming business in Nigeria is the same no matter where you intend doing it.

How Lucrative is Fish Farming Business in Nigeria?

I will say fish farming in Nigeria is very lucrative because there is always readily market for it. The demand is usually and always higher than the supply all year round. Financially, it is rewarding because you can always make up to 40% ROI every 4 to 5 months.

Let’s do small mathematics on a possible return on investment. In my fish farm estate, I rent out a cage for N50, 000 per 6 months. A cage can comfortably contain 1000 fish. To avoid high mortality rate, you go for post fingerling, which is around N45 per fingerling.

In other to harvest fish that weighs up to 1kg at the end of 4 months, you need to feed them with 30 bags. Each bag cost N6, 500, so let’s sum everything.

Mind you, all these figures are at the time of writing this.

Renting of cage and pond…………………………………………………………………N50, 000

Fingerlings…………………………………N45*1000……………………………………..N45, 000

Fish Feed…………………………………..N6, 500*30……………………………………..195,000

Expected Total Expenses……………………………………………………………………290,000

Sells

Each 1Kg fish goes for at least N700.00 (seven hundred Naira). Therefore expected revenue will be:

700 *1000 = N 700,000

Expected Profit

N700, 000 – 290,000 = N410,000

As you can see, you can make over 100% ROI in 4 months. The figure above is real if you didn’t record mortality. With right knowledge, you may record some deaths but it will be very minimal.

Note:

If you’re to make the pond and other logistics, then starting a fish farm can be a bit expensive. To start a small scale fish farming in Nigeria you need between N1-N500, 000. You need an investment of N500, 000 –N5, 000, 000 for a medium scale fish farm in Nigeria. Lastly, you need an investment of 5,000,000 and above for a large scale fish farming business in Nigeria.

What is The Major Risk Associated With Fish Farming Business in Nigeria?

• Illiteracy
• Thieves

Illiteracy

Illiteracy here means that a lot of people go into fish farming business in Nigeria without being properly informed. Therefore, it is a very big risk because they will definitely lose out in the business. To get it right they need a real mentor and a good fish farming business plan. Do you know that over feeding kill fish? This and many other things are what every intending fish farmer must know.

To solve the problem of fish dying from over feeding I developed fish feeding formula that is widely accepted across the country. You can only find that in my book.

Thieves

You need to establish your farm in a well secured area or else others will harvest it for you. To prevent thieves you need a fenced farm or employ the services of local security men.

What is Your Final Advice to Intending Fish Farmers in Nigeria?

As I earlier said, fish farming business in Nigeria is lucrative but it is not a get rich quick business. They need to put much effort, persistence and endurance to start reaping from this business.

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Be ready for the worst, it is not usually as we plan but with time and patience you will always be smiling to the bank monthly. Imagine having up to 10 cages. Multiply it by the expected profit, money will run into millions. It is simple but not easy.

So, I strongly urge those going into fish farming business in Nigeria to look for a practicing fish farmer for an intensive training.

Fish Farming Business in Nigeria- Editor’s Opinion

Here we go, Thank you Mr. Ajjimy for this wonderful eye opener. For those seeking for one-on-one consultation or training, you can contact us to connect you with Mr. Ajjimy.

Also, you can also contact us for a bankable fish farming business plan at affordable rate.

 

Before going into details of importance of agriculture in Nigeria, it’s wise we look deep into what is agriculture or what agriculture encompasses. The reason for this is that to many people agriculture is just all about planting and harvesting. In fact, many don’t even know that rearing of livestock is equally part of agriculture.

But does agriculture ends in planting, harvesting and rearing of livestock? No is the answer. Recent study reveals that agriculture is about production, processing, promotion and distribution of agricultural products.

Therefore, in this post, the importance of agriculture in Nigeria listed here goes beyond Nigeria. In fact, it’s applicable to every nation of the world. This is because agriculture is the lifeline of every economy of the world.

No matter the stage of civilization the world is today, it all started with agriculture. Therefore, the importance of agriculture in Nigeria and world at large can’t be overemphasized.

The importance of agriculture goes beyond provision of food and raw material. Also it goes beyond providing employment opportunities to large percentage of Nigeria population. So below are the 10 importance of agriculture in Nigeria.

10 Importance of Agriculture in Nigeria

1. Source of livelihood
2. Serves as part of nation revenue
3. Supply of food as well as fodder
4. Boost international trade
5. Leads to industrialization
6. Major Source of raw material
7. Provide foreign exchange resources
8. Expand employment opportunities
9. Encourage savings
10. Boost food security

Let’s take a look at each of the importance of agriculture listed above as it affects Nigeria.

Source of Livelihood

Agriculture is the major employer of labour in Nigeria. In fact, over 70% of Nigerian populations are directly or directly live on agricultural related activities. The only reason agriculture employs this huge percentage of Nigerian population is because the non-agric sector has suffered neglect from governments. So, agriculture as major source of livelihood is not applicable to most developed countries.

Contribute to GDP

According to report from National Bureau of statistics, GDP from agriculture in Nigeria increased to 3789720.12 NGN Million in the second quarter of 2018 from 3487312.92 NGN Million in the first quarter of 2018. With this result alone, it is obvious that agriculture has been a major contributor to our national revenue

[You May Also Read] 10 Problems of Agriculture in Nigeria and Solutions

Supply of Food as Well as Fodder

Both human and animal depends on agricultural product for food. Be you a vegetarian or not, all we consume comes from agriculture. Also, all that animals consume consumes come from agriculture.

Boost International Trade

Over 90% of non-oil products exported from Nigeria is agricultural product. For instance, Nigeria export cashew nut, hibiscus flower (sobo), sesame seed, ginger, moringa and many more in large quantities.  All this are agricultural product.

Exporting of these agricultural product help Nigeria in balancing of its unfavorable trade balance as well saving foreign exchange.

Leads to Industrialization

Almost all industries in Nigeria largely depend directly or indirectly on farm produce. For instance, the textile industries in Nigeria works based on the cotton cultivated in Nigeria. The shoe industries in the eastern part of Nigeria depend on hide from the livestock in the northern part.

Proper harnessing of agricultural products and by-products will lead to rapid industrialization in Nigeria.

Major Source of Raw Materials

Serving as a major source of raw material is another importance of agriculture in Nigeria. The main source of raw materials to major industries such as cotton and jute fabric, sugar, tobacco, edible as well as non-edible oils is agriculture. Moreover, many other industries such as processing of fruits as well as vegetables and rice husking get their raw material mainly from agriculture.

Provide Foreign Exchange Resources

According to President Buhari’s media team, Nigeria realized N212.73b from agricultural export in 2016. That is a huge capital inflow to the Nigeria through agro product export. This means that agriculture is a real source of foreign exchange for Nigeria. In addition, National Bureau of statistic reveals that cashew nut in shell top the list of the agro product exported

Expand Employment opportunities

Another importance of agriculture in Nigeria is the ability to create indirect employment. Construction of irrigation schemes, farm drainage system and farm house are done by professional that are not farmers. Therefore, agriculture create an overall economic development of Nigeria

Source of Saving

Proper developing of agricultural sector in Nigeria will lead to high yielding and more sales for farmers. More sales will mean more money for the farmer, which will lead to savings. Farmers may even decide to re-invest their saving for expansion. This show that agriculture is a source of economic expansion for Nigeria

Boost Food Security

Mechanized agriculture leads to high yielding of crops and farm products in general. Sufficiency of farm product will ensure that every Nigeria eats 3 square meal in a day. That is exactly what the world mean by food security.

Food security can only be achieved through agriculture and its practices. That is why this importance of agriculture in Nigeria can’t be overemphasized.

Importance of Agriculture in Nigeria – Conclusion

Agriculture is a vital sector and very essential to the sustenance of Nigerian economy. It is quite unfortunate that with all these 10 importance of agriculture in Nigeria the sector suffer neglect.

Before the discovery of oil in Nigeria, agriculture was the main source of the country’s revenue. And the GDP and all economic indicators were very positive and encouraging. But today reverse is the case.

One great thing about agriculture is that it does not constitute health and environmental hazard like the oil and its exploration we are much interested on today. Therefore, we can benefit from all the importance of agriculture in Nigeria while living healthy.

A sustainable agricultural sector will ensure a sustainable growth of employment, which will lead to a healthy economy. Its surpluses will be used in developing other sectors for absorption of more work forces.