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Consumer Preference Critical to Agricultural Development in Nigeria – VC Wudil
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Vice Chancellor, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Shehu Alhaji Musa has said consideration of consumption preference is critical to agricultural development in Nigeria.
Kano Focus reports that Mr Musa a Professor of agricultural economics and Extension worried that in spite of the huge deposited natural resource; Nigeria is still listed by Food and Agriculture Organization among nations who are technically incapacitated to meet its food demands.
The university don who made the submission while delivering the 46 series of Professorial inaugural lecture at Bayero University, Kano at the weekend emphasized on value addition, consumption pattern as key factors that determine agricultural viability in a country.
In the presentation titled: Crossing The Chasms of Agricultural Development in Nigeria: consumer Preference Studies, Market Integration Syntheses and Value Chain Diagnoses to the Rescue, Shehu dissected the clear demarcation between production and meeting consumer preference.
The Vice Chancellor submitted that given the enormous qualities and contributions of agriculture, the sector has not performed as expected essentially in the past four decades due to inadequate supply of inputs and the refusal to pay attention to the food demand, value chain and consumption pattern of consumers.
Shehu contended that Nigeria’s agricultural policy must pay quality attention to Supply-Response Model which creates smart integration between production, value chain addition and consumers preferences to attain sustainable agriculture and food sufficiency.
The university Don declared that despite policy interventions, the agricultural sector is still largely underdeveloped, principally because substantial concentration is devoted more on production, rather than on enhancing value addition across value chain segments.
He stressed that FAO prediction also came even when the Federal government Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) projected Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in tomato paste, rice and wheat by 2020; a the targets that was yet to materialize because of the large and continuous dependency on importation.
Besides, he posited that ERGP prediction also emphasized on increase in the value of agricultural production by 31 per cent with tendencies to boost the country’s revenue by N21 trillion by the end of 2020.
While applauding the border closure policy of government, the university administrator cautioned on the possible negative implication of the reopening of the Nigeria land borders on local production of products with competitive advantage.
He advocated deployment of technologies in the area of post-harvest and storage facilities to reduce produce damage especially in the Northern part of Nigeria just as he called for revamping of extension services to all agricultural clientele groups as well as improving budgetary allocation to agric sector to improve food sufficiency.
According to him “ Nigeria has great potentials of becoming the food basket of the West Africa sub-region given that she is endowed with a huge expanse of arable land, beneficial climate, abundant streams, lakes, forest and grassland as well as large, active population that can sustain a highly productive agriculture. But we have failed to recognize the significance of consumption pattern.
“In any economy, consumer preferences and demand constitute the bedrock, which influence the production decisions of producers, since consumer’s satisfaction is the major target of producers if they are to stay in business. The much talked about value addition in agriculture is founded on the preferences and demand of consumers,” he noted.
Chairman of the Professorial lecture and Vice Chancellor Bayero University, Kano, Sagir Adamu Abbas explained that the lecture series are designed to enable professors showcase the output and relevant of their research findings.
Mr Sagir who expressed satisfaction on the 46 edition of the professorial lecture posited that the presentation will add value to policy implementation on agriculture and improve body of knowledge.
Aminu Abdullahi
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, has suspended the embattled Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, from office over his alleged involvement in N80billion fraud being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Idris was arrested on Monday by the operatives of the anti-graft agency over alleged diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80billion.
He was arrested after failing to honour invitations by the EFCC to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent acts.
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, had said the commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.
He said the funds were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.
Nasiru Yusuf
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has congratulated the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, on his appointment as the Chairman of the 2022 World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Forum by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
KANO FOCUS reports that Danbatta described the choice of the Minister as chair of the Forum as a worthy recognition of Nigeria’s leadership role in the global digital economy ecosystem, noting that Nigeria has continued to hold a front-row seat in the promotion of information and communication technology (ICT) as a driving force for national development since the assumption of office of the Minister.
“On behalf of the Board, Management and Staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission, I want to express our profound delight and congratulations to the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, on his well-deserved appointment by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to chair this year’s WSIS Forum”, Danbatta stated.
“The appointment did not surprise us at NCC, given the important role the Hon. Minister has been playing in driving fundamental digital economy policies, being implemented by agencies under his supervision, in order to boost the diversification policy of the Federal Government,” the EVC said.
“We are, therefore, happy to associate with the Minister on this feat, as it means greater recognition for Nigeria. The appointment is an indication that the world has continued to take notice of the giant strides of Nigeria’s digital economy under the supervision of the Minister.
The NCC will continue to do everything within its regulatory mandate to further support the Federal Government’s drive for ubiquitous, affordable and accessible digital services across all nooks and crannies of the country,” Danbatta said.
Following consultations with various stakeholders, the ITU recently notified the Minister via a letter, of his appointment as the 2022 WSIS Chairman.
The ITU is orgainsing the WSIS 2022 Forum in collaboration with other agencies with the United Nations with a focus on “ICTs for Well-Being, Inclusion and Resilience: WSIS Cooperation for Accelerating Progress on the SDGs”.
As has been noted elsewhere, the appointment of Prof. Pantami has given Nigeria, and indeed, the African continent, the unique role of coordinating the activities of the WSIS in its 20th year, following the WSIS Phase I meeting which took place in 2003.
The WSIS Forum 2022, which will be attended by several high-level stakeholders, including Cabinet Ministers from ITU countries, will serve as a key platform to discuss the role of ICTs as a means to bolster the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals targets.
The discourse will take place in the context of the mechanism for follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNGA Resolution A/70/1).
The WSIS Forum also provides an opportunity to track the achievements of WSIS Action Lines in collaboration with the UN Agencies involved and provides information and analysis on the implementation of WSIS Action Lines since 2005.
The Forum aims at enhancing cooperation, partnership, innovation, exchange of experiences and good practices in ICTs for sustainable development across the world.
Nasiru Yusuf
The Nigeria’s meteorological agency, NiMet, has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall within the next three days in Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that NiMet announced this in its weather advisory on Tuesday.
“As a result of the expected moderate to heavy rainfall in the next three days, there are chances of flash flooding of roads and low-lying settlements,” the agency said.
It added that “there could be disruption of traffic due to flooded or closed roads, reduction in visibility, likely damage to mud houses and possible disruption in flight operations.”
The rain is expected to be accompanied by strong winds, lightning and thunder, hence the falling of weak buildings and displacement of makeshift structures are likely, NiMet said.
Hence, it advised the public to exercise restraint, disconnect electrical appliances before, not during the storm, and avoid standing or parking cars under trees as much as possible.
NiMet urges emergency agencies to be prepared and keep monitoring to avoid low-level areas and fast-flowing runoff waters.
It also advised the public to be prepared for these events to avoid damage from rain-related hazards.
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