Nigerian Agriculture Promotion Policy 2016 – 2020: Towards a New Paradigm for Domestic Food Security and Foreign Exchange Earnings in Agricultural Production

Abstract

Agriculture is key to overall economic growth and development of African countries like Nigeria. A suitable policy that charts a clear roadmap to large scale and commercial agricultural production is necessary to achieving food sufficiency and exports. This paper reviews the Nigerian Agriculture Promotion Policy 2016 – 2020 (APP) in order to determine how it addresses the challenges that have stifled the growth of agriculture in Nigeria, and the attendant negative impacts on the socio-economic development of the country. The adopted methodology is a desk review and content analysis of the Policy Document, together with other literature on Nigeria’s experience in agriculture policy administration. This paper finds that the APP clearly provides a new paradigm in approach and processes towards attaining food security and foreign exchange earnings in Nigeria’s agricultural production in the short, medium and long terms. This paper however recommends that in order for the APP to endure for stable and consistent implementation of its long term solutions to Nigeria’s agricultural challenges, it should be presented to the National Assembly for enactment as a piece of legislation. This is necessary to sustain the current successes and realize the future potentials of Nigeria’s agricultural production as suitably laid out in the APP.

Keywords: Agriculture policy, agricultural production, economic development, food security, foreign exchange earnings

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/9-3-07

Publication date:March 31^st 2019