By Nworisa Michael
The Federal Government has called on Nigerian farmers to take the lead in driving an agricultural revolution anchored on value addition, local processing, and export-oriented production as part of efforts to accelerate economic diversification.
The call was made by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, on Thursday in Abuja while delivering the opening address at the General Assembly of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The General Assembly of Farmers serves as a national platform designed to strengthen collaboration among farmers, government institutions, private sector players, and development partners, while reinforcing AFAN’s position as a unified national voice for Nigerian farmers.
Kalu said the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, remains committed to achieving food security and transforming agriculture into a key driver of national economic growth.
He disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2026 Macroeconomic Outlook projects agricultural GDP growth of between 3.5 per cent and 4.5 per cent, driven by increased investments in farming inputs, extension services, and post-harvest infrastructure.
According to him, growth in the sector would be meaningless if it benefits only large-scale operators while millions of smallholder farmers remain trapped in subsistence farming.
“The challenge before us is not merely to grow agriculture, but to grow agriculture inclusively,” Kalu said.
The Deputy Speaker noted that the Tinubu administration has repositioned agriculture as a strategic national priority, adding that the removal of fuel subsidies, though difficult, has freed resources for agricultural mechanisation, input distribution, and rural infrastructure development.
He explained that the declaration of a national state of emergency on food security, alongside the implementation of policies such as the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) and the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI), is beginning to yield tangible results across key agricultural production zones.
“I commend this administration for the political courage required to implement these reforms. Easy policies do not create transformation; they create illusion,” he stated.
Kalu emphasised that Nigeria’s agricultural revolution would largely be driven by productivity gains among the country’s estimated 40 million smallholder farmers, stressing that modest yield improvements at the grassroots level have far-reaching national impact.
“A smallholder farmer who increases yield by 50 per cent from 1.5 tonnes per hectare to 2.25 tonnes per hectare contributes more to national output than a single large estate increasing production from 10 to 15 tonnes per hectare,” he explained.
He added that productivity gains among smallholder farmers generate wider employment opportunities, strengthen local economies, and promote national stability.
The Deputy Speaker commended AFAN for convening the Assembly and urged the association to remain a strong advocate for farmers in policy discussions, while ensuring that improved cultivation practices and efficient post-harvest systems are embedded in all agricultural programmes.
Highlighting Nigeria’s export performance, Kalu disclosed that the country currently earns about $3 billion annually from agricultural exports, mainly cocoa, cashew, and sesame.
He compared this with Côte d’Ivoire, which earns over $4 billion from cocoa exports alone, and India, which generates more than $40 billion from total agricultural exports.
“We export raw cocoa, not chocolate. We export unprocessed cashew, not finished products. We export sesame seeds, not sesame oil,” he said.
According to him, a strategic focus on value addition and export diversification could create millions of jobs and generate over $10 billion in foreign exchange earnings within five years.
He urged AFAN members to invest in processing, export-quality production, and international market access, assuring them of policy and partnership support from government.
Kalu also called on state governments to allocate at least five per cent of their budgets to agricultural infrastructure and encouraged the private sector to invest more aggressively in processing, logistics, and market systems.
“Nigeria’s future is inseparable from agriculture. Every job created in the sector feeds a household and strengthens national cohesion,” he said, adding that the country possesses the resources and policy environment needed for transformation, but requires unified action.
Earlier, the National President of AFAN, Dr Farouk Rabiu-Mudi, said the theme of the Assembly, “Empowering Farmers, Fostering Collaboration,” reflects the core objectives of the gathering.
He said AFAN, as the umbrella body for farmers nationwide, plays a strategic role in ensuring that agricultural policies and investments address the real challenges faced by farmers.
Rabiu-Mudi identified key constraints in the sector, including weak institutional coordination, limited access to finance and inputs, inadequate extension services, and low adoption of innovation.
He explained that the Assembly was designed to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and reposition farmers at the centre of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.
The highlight of the opening day of the three-day General Assembly was the presentation of an award to the Deputy Speaker in recognition of his contributions to agricultural development in Nigeria.