Concerns are mounting over the slow pace of Nigeria's agricultural development as new data reveals the Federal Government allocated a paltry average of 1.4 per cent of its annual budget to the sector over the past nine years.
Chronic Underfunding of a Critical Sector
This startling figure was disclosed by Joseph Samuel, the Chairman of Origin Automobile Works, during the company's 25th-anniversary event in Lagos. Samuel emphasised that while government intervention in agriculture is essential, the level of financial commitment has consistently fallen short of the sector's strategic importance to the nation's economy, job creation, and overall security.
He pointed out that this minimal budgetary allocation has only been sufficient to sustain basic activity, failing to provide the transformative investment needed to make Nigerian agriculture competitive on a global scale.
The Mechanisation Crisis and Smallholder Challenges
A key symptom of this underinvestment is the severe deficit in farm mechanisation. Samuel disclosed that Nigeria records annual tractor sales of only about 1,200 units, with the majority purchased through government programmes rather than private investment.
This has resulted in a national average of fewer than 0.3 tractors for every 1,000 hectares of farmland, a figure far below international standards. He noted that even the recent federal initiative to launch 2,000 tractors is insufficient when measured against the country's vast needs.
The structure of Nigerian farming further complicates progress. Samuel explained that approximately 98 per cent of farmers are smallholders operating at subsistence levels, often in backyard plots. This fragmentation makes mechanisation costly and inefficient, dilutes the impact of government support programmes, and severely limits productivity and competitiveness.
Linking Agriculture to National Security and Stability
Samuel drew a direct connection between agricultural underdevelopment and the nation's worsening insecurity. He argued that establishing structured and well-funded farming systems could play a pivotal role in stabilising rural communities, which are often epicentres of violence and banditry.
He urged policymakers to treat agriculture as a long-term national investment rather than a short-term political project, warning that frequent policy changes undermine the effectiveness of any spending. Stronger collaboration between the government and private enterprises is crucial to sustaining agricultural programmes beyond political tenures, he posited.
While acknowledging existing government efforts, Samuel insisted that Nigeria must pursue large-scale agricultural investments to maximise returns. He revealed that his company, Origin Automobile Works, is making significant investments in agricultural equipment and capacity development, with several large-scale projects set to be unveiled in the coming months to complement public sector initiatives.
