…Canvasses agricultural hubs in 774 LGAs in Nigeria
As preparations for the 2026 budgets get underway, an agricultural expert, Dr Philips Nto, has challenged governments at all levels to prioritise funding for agriculture to enhance food security.
Dr Nto who is the Director of Agribusiness Incubation Centre, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike said that only increased funding of agriculture in the 2026 budgets of all tiers of government will guarantee improved yields, value addition and prosperity for farmers.
Speaking to newsmen in Umudike while conducting them around pilot farms of the Incubation Centre, the Director canvassed an improved budgetary allocation for agriculture in view of the central role it plays in the development of Nigeria’s economy.
” Now that Nigeria’s revenue is on the increase, more funds should be invested in agriculture and agribusiness to secure our tomorrow,” he stressed.
Dr Philips Nto, who is a former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development in Abia state, advocated that the increase in funding agriculture should anchor more on value addition to curb post-harvest losses
According to him, the government should consider providing agricultural subsidies to real farmers while the states should revive the agricultural extension services to make them more functional.
Said he, ” agriculture is an evolving sector that requires continuous training of rural farmers. Reviving the agriculture extension services will help farmers adopt new techniques for improved yield. The Agribusiness Incubation Centres across our universities can easily drive this initiative”
He also canvassed the setting up of industrial agro hubs in the 774 local government areas in the country to be designed in line with crops grown in each area as a means of sustainable food security.
Dr Philips Nto said such hubs could be jointly funded through an integrated scheme by all tiers of government with the expected increase in food production and value addition.
” This multi-level collaboration will provide government the first hand guide on the agribusiness that is relevant to the need of the local farmers,” he submitted.
Dr Philips Nto who is the immediate past Provost of Abia State College of Education, Technical, Arochukwu, however commended the federal government on its tax reforms which he noted would also impact on the growth of agriculture in the country.
He expressed the hope that whatever the government generates from the new tax laws should be used in funding agriculture, especially in the establishment of the agro industrial hubs in the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
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Appreciate the time you put into this — it’s packed with value.
I appreciated the formatting — easy to skim and still informative.
I appreciated the formatting — easy to skim and still informative.
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