Effectiveness of Agriculture Productivity on Inclusive Growth in Nigeria, 1981-2016

Abstract

This study examines the impact of agriculture on inclusive growth in Nigeria. A time series data covering the period, 1981-2016, sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria amongst others was utilised for the study. Accordingly, three stage least squares technique of analysis was used in evaluating the data. Inequality, poverty and unemployment were used as a proxy for inclusive growth while agriculture output, agricultural value-added, agricultural labour employed, government expenditure in agriculture, gross capital formation as well as bank loan and advances to agriculture were used as indicators of agricultural development. The study finds that agriculture has insignificant impact on inclusive growth in Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommends that it is imperative for the country to develop its agricultural sector through sufficient government spending in order to set-up its inclusive growth.

Keywords: agriculture, inclusive growth, inequality, poverty, and unemployment.