Don says Agricultural Transformation Agenda e-wallet not complete

Lateef Sanni, a professor of agriculture and country manager of Cassava: Adding Value for Africa, has said that the focus of the country’s e-wallet agricultural system under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan was not complete, saying it is a misnomer since it only focuses on farming and agricultural production without recourse to post-harvest losses and produce processing.

This is coming against the backdrop of N5.4 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) subsidies to support agro-input dealers and N25.5 billion ($150 million) World Bank fund to support Nigeria’s electronic wallet for 2014/2015 farming season.

He described the second phase of electronic initiative as myopic and narrowly-structured and could not solve Nigeria’s quest for food security.

The dean, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), who delivered the 49th inaugural lecture of the university, tagged, ‘Drying for Wealth, Food Security and Nation Building’, said that Nigeria needs all-encompassing agricultural system that would guarantee food security and nation building against the one-sided state policy on agriculture.

He explained that Nigeria may not achieve food security and nation building if there were no attention on post-harvest loss control and management as well as produce processing which Nigeria needs to feed her hungry population and create wealth for ever-demanding economy and populace, adding that the current e-wallet agricultural system could not achieve it.

The post-harvest scientist to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) decried the dearth of post-harvest scientists and processors as the bane of robust agriculture system in the country, which, he said, the e-wallet system does not cover, saying, therefore, it is incomplete and insufficient to bring desired agricultural reforms for the country.

He, however, appealed to the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to restructure the system and make case for all-encompassing agricultural system for his administration to achieve desired reforms and benefits from the nation’s agricultural system that will, in return, affect economic development, saying, “Buhari should be conscious of ministers to be appointed”.

He said: “95% of e-wallet was spent on only agricultural production, not post-harvest loss control and processing, and the Nigeria’s quest for food security and agriculture-based economic system would continue to be a mirage. A minister cannot come today and dismantle all we have been doing.”

“Another one cannot come tomorrow and scatter all policies, Nigeria cannot move forward. President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, should take note. We do not need egocentric ministers to solve our problems, Nigeria will remain the same if we do that”, the professor warned the incoming administration.