Lagos – Stakeholders in the agriculture sector have lauded the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari in the Agricultural sector within the last three years.

In separate interviews in Lagos on Sunday, they said the administration’s achievement in the sector was unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria’s history.

One of the stakeholders, Mr Adu Yerima, who is the National Coordinator, Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN), said that the Anchor Borrowers’ programme alone provided many job opportunities for Nigerian youths.

Cue in Audio – Yerima

“For example, the Anchor Borrowers’ Project, which is a very sound and laudable project, can transform millions of unemployed Nigerian youths to become self-reliant.

“It has a full package for every person that is going into agriculture.

“There is a component for agric extension office; there is component for access to credit facilities and input; and there is also component for access to market.

“That means any youth that is going into farming through the Anchor Borrowers project is already farming, while the market is waiting for him.

“The problem there is that the capacity to deliver this project to the real people that the project is meant for is lacking,’’ Yerima said.

Cue out Audio – Yerima

He suggested more financial, technological and capacity backing for the Federal Government’s institutions and agents working on agricultural policies.

Similarly, Mr Gideon Negedu, the Project Manager, Fertilisers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), commended the present administration for thinking out of the box to tackle issues in the agriculture sector.

He said the achievement recorded was in spite of the serious financial situation the administration met at its inception.

Negedu also lauded the increase in food production in the country due to the commitment of the administration.

“We have seen a marginal increase in key production areas.

“For example, in rice we have seen marginal increase such that Nigeria would be self-sufficient in rice very soon and in other commodities too.

”The interesting thing is there is a net effect on commodities like ours which is the fertiliser.

“In Nigeria today, under this administration for the first time in 2017, we saw consumption figures for fertiliser at the highest. You can quote me on that.

“We have the highest consumption figures ever and all of that was done without subsidy,’’ Negudu said.