Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has called for
development, production and distribution of quality seeds to farmers in
Nigeria in order to boost agricultural output and create over 40 million
jobs for the unemployed population.
Dogara, who said this when he visited Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited,
Zaria, Kaduna State, also expressed strong belief that with coordinated
support from the executive and the legislature for companies that produce
and distribute high breed seeds to farmers, Nigeria will become food
sufficient and standard of living of its citizens will also improve.
He explained, “If the revolution in agriculture is going to be anything,
it must start with the production and distribution of quality seeds. Gone
are the days of our parents when they used to plant grains as seed,
apparently we didn’t know that for you to have bumper harvest, it is not
every grain that will qualify as the seed that the farmer will plant.
“Agriculture has the potential of being the highest employer of labour in
this country. If we have small farms springing up across the nation
employing from to 25, 40 or more people, you can imagine if we could
have 1 million of those ventures, that is between 40 to 70 million jobs
that save us a lot of problems in this country and help to deal with many
vices, insecurity, violence and the likes.
Dogara commended the company for the work they are doing for the nation by
equipping farmers and providing them with the right seeds with which they
can grow and feed the nation, adding that the legislature will not
hesistate to look at how the government and farmers can collaborate to
ensure that farmers in Nigeria get quality seeds.
“That is the challenge across the country, as we speak, apart from farmers
around this facility, may be not too far away from here, I can guarantee
that a lot of farmers outside this region are not even aware of the need
to have quality seeds planted in order to have bumper harvest.
“I am assured and I believe that you are producing quality seeds from this
place otherwise you wouldn’t attract those awards and in terms of our work
as legislators, we represent the people and chances are that when we
connect at this level, we will spread the word down the ladder to even the
peasant farmer farming for sustenance, not even for commercial purposes
because they need to get quality seeds as well, when they get quality
seeds, they plant these seeds and it increases their yield, it will mean,
they will have food to feed on and still have some to dispose of and
thereby increasing family savings and putting resources in their hands to
pay school fees for their kids.
“So, for us, the work you do is very foundational and fundamental in the
success of the revolution that we seek in the agricultural sector. If
there is anything we can do as a parliament to support your work; don’t
hesitate to tell us and we believe that no one is an island, even the
private sector would have to collaborate with the government and the
government itself would have to collaborate with the private sector in
order to move agriculture forward.”
Speaking on how active engagement of youths in agriculture would benefit
the nation, he noted that when people are engaged in agriculture, by the
time they come back home, they are so tired that even if they wanted to be
terrorists, they wouldn’t have the strength after being on the farm for 6
hours to carry any gun.
“So this is why we really need to promote agriculture development in this
country and as legislators, even those in the Executive shouldn’t shy away
from giving you the support that you need in order to succeed,” he added.
Earlier, the managing director of the company,
Prof. Abraham Oyediji Ogungbile, informed the Speaker that they
distribute fertilizer and seed to about 2,000 farmers who are their
out-growers to produce certified seed for them.
He, however, regretted that the company has been supplying seed since
2014, but has not been paid even as loans secured by the company to embark
on the project are yet to be paid off.