EX VICE PRESIDENT OF WORLD BANK LAUDS DEVELOPMENT IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Former Vice-President of the
World Bank, Dr Obiageli
Ezekwesili, on Friday lauded the
Federal Government’s emphasis
on agricultural development in
the country.
Ezekwesili told the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the
focus on agricultural
development was doing a lot to
empower farmers across the
country.
She added that the current
emphasis had redirected the
focus of more than 60 per cent
of the population into agriculture
and related businesses.
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``I think the emphasis that
government is giving to
agriculture and agribusiness is
very good. I applaud them
(officials) for the emphasis on
agriculture, agribusiness and
enhancing productivity.
``Because, frankly, already we
have more than 60 per cent of
our citizens in agriculture.
``So, if you want to tackle
poverty, go to the sector where
the people who are mostly poor
are operating, and it’s in
agriculture.
``So, you go to that informal
sector of agriculture, you provide
them with the kind of tools and
the kinds of facilities, the
extension services, the links to
the market, the seeds and inputs,
the access to credit.
``The better business
environment, all of these add
together to improve their
productivity, and therefore, will
improve their income.
``Because when you enhance the
income of the farmers, what it
means is that they have more
money that they can spend even
in offering education to their
children.
``So that circle of activities is so
important for taking the entire
society out of poverty.
``You don’t lift people out of
poverty; you give people what
they need in order to lift
themselves out of poverty.’’
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She also urged the government
at all levels to make more efforts
to boost agricultural
development in the country in
order to reduce the rate of
poverty.