Office of the SSA to Governor Ayade on Mobilization and Enlightenment
April 18, 2019
Agribusiness involves the buying and selling of agricultural products and ancillary services. It is a science and art which include a spectrum of activities with backward and forward linkages - production, processing, packaging, marketing and trading, distribution of raw and processed foods, feeds or fibres as well as supply of inputs and services for the aforesaid activities.
Agribusiness as an emerging sector in the Nigerian economy, has been proven to be a highly profitable business venture, since government policies and program of diversifying the economy tend to favour the sector. Unlike before, it is now a very lucrative sub-sector, with high returns on investment and lots of players involving in the game. This is so because food is essential for survival, raw materials important for industrial use, agricultural related jobs are needed for the growing population and both government and individuals receive as well as earn revenues from foreign earnings.
Cross River State, according to the SSA to Governor Ben Ayade on Mobilization and Enlightenment, Chief Mrs Angela, has a huge potential in agribusiness since Governor Ayade has initiated series of projects that have attracted global attention to Cross River State agricultural sector since he assumed office in 2015.
Addressing youth in her community, Chief Angela said: "We Yala people are known to be typical farmers from time immemorial. Our farming practices have been mainly peasant with little or no returns. However, today, we have a Governor who has revolutionalized agricultural practices, creating opportunities and plethora of investment windows to attract global investors into Cross River State. We have to use what we have to get what we need," she said.
According to her, agriculture is the economic mainstay of Cross River as 75% of the inhabitants are engage in farming. "Our state is endowed with stock of arable land, forest resources and various types of mineral deposits that offer the state opportunities for agribusiness, forestry and ecotourism, which if properly exploited, will put the state ahead of many state economically. We cannot continue to fold our hands and say there are no job opportunities or run to Port Harcourt, Abuja or Lagos in search of jobs - we must consciously create opportunities from the great blessings nature has offered us freely," she added.
Speaking further, she lamented that most young people are wasting away when opportunities exist for them to excel in agribusiness. "I am perplexed by the level of idleness and ignorance besetting many youth, thereby leading to various kinds of social unrest, in the state, when the government of Gov. Ben Ayade has given us the leverage to become millionaires. Opportunities are now available at various levels - international, Federal, NGO and state."
She noted that most young people who think capital is the main challenge to starting a new business can now access different types of free funding from different sources - World Bank, USAID, CUSO International, CBN through the Anchor Borrowers Programme, Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, Food Security Council, Youth Farm Lab, FADAMA, ongoing NDE-partnered Nigerian Strategic Empowerment, etc.
She also outline the laudable agricultural initiatives of the Digital Governor that have positive spillovers, capable of generating both backward and forward linkages in the agribusiness sub-sector as: Ogoja/Yala Vitaminized Rice Mill, Ikom Cocoa Processing Factory, Cala 77 Rice Seeds and Seedling Factory, Calabar; Cotton Farm, Woda, Yala; Banana Plantation, Odukpani; Calabar Modern Poultry Farm, Obubra Yella Maid Farm, amongst others.
She, therefore, enjoins the youth of Yala in particular and those of Cross River State to tap into these opportunities and showcase their talents to the world. "I challenge all of you today to tap into this great potential that has been lying dormant over the years; the lands are here, very fertile; many government, inter- governmental and NGO agricultural grants are available to key into. I want you you to start developing entrepreneurial mindset. Opportunities abound in agricultural productive resources, agricultural products trading, facilitative services, insurance marketing, agric credit, storage, processing, transportation, packaging, distribution, consultancy, training, research and development, export business, etc. I urge you to embrace these opportunities and very soon, you will smile to the bank," she concluded.
April 18, 2019
Agribusiness involves the buying and selling of agricultural products and ancillary services. It is a science and art which include a spectrum of activities with backward and forward linkages - production, processing, packaging, marketing and trading, distribution of raw and processed foods, feeds or fibres as well as supply of inputs and services for the aforesaid activities.
Agribusiness as an emerging sector in the Nigerian economy, has been proven to be a highly profitable business venture, since government policies and program of diversifying the economy tend to favour the sector. Unlike before, it is now a very lucrative sub-sector, with high returns on investment and lots of players involving in the game. This is so because food is essential for survival, raw materials important for industrial use, agricultural related jobs are needed for the growing population and both government and individuals receive as well as earn revenues from foreign earnings.
Cross River State, according to the SSA to Governor Ben Ayade on Mobilization and Enlightenment, Chief Mrs Angela, has a huge potential in agribusiness since Governor Ayade has initiated series of projects that have attracted global attention to Cross River State agricultural sector since he assumed office in 2015.
Addressing youth in her community, Chief Angela said: "We Yala people are known to be typical farmers from time immemorial. Our farming practices have been mainly peasant with little or no returns. However, today, we have a Governor who has revolutionalized agricultural practices, creating opportunities and plethora of investment windows to attract global investors into Cross River State. We have to use what we have to get what we need," she said.
According to her, agriculture is the economic mainstay of Cross River as 75% of the inhabitants are engage in farming. "Our state is endowed with stock of arable land, forest resources and various types of mineral deposits that offer the state opportunities for agribusiness, forestry and ecotourism, which if properly exploited, will put the state ahead of many state economically. We cannot continue to fold our hands and say there are no job opportunities or run to Port Harcourt, Abuja or Lagos in search of jobs - we must consciously create opportunities from the great blessings nature has offered us freely," she added.
Speaking further, she lamented that most young people are wasting away when opportunities exist for them to excel in agribusiness. "I am perplexed by the level of idleness and ignorance besetting many youth, thereby leading to various kinds of social unrest, in the state, when the government of Gov. Ben Ayade has given us the leverage to become millionaires. Opportunities are now available at various levels - international, Federal, NGO and state."
She noted that most young people who think capital is the main challenge to starting a new business can now access different types of free funding from different sources - World Bank, USAID, CUSO International, CBN through the Anchor Borrowers Programme, Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, Food Security Council, Youth Farm Lab, FADAMA, ongoing NDE-partnered Nigerian Strategic Empowerment, etc.
She also outline the laudable agricultural initiatives of the Digital Governor that have positive spillovers, capable of generating both backward and forward linkages in the agribusiness sub-sector as: Ogoja/Yala Vitaminized Rice Mill, Ikom Cocoa Processing Factory, Cala 77 Rice Seeds and Seedling Factory, Calabar; Cotton Farm, Woda, Yala; Banana Plantation, Odukpani; Calabar Modern Poultry Farm, Obubra Yella Maid Farm, amongst others.
She, therefore, enjoins the youth of Yala in particular and those of Cross River State to tap into these opportunities and showcase their talents to the world. "I challenge all of you today to tap into this great potential that has been lying dormant over the years; the lands are here, very fertile; many government, inter- governmental and NGO agricultural grants are available to key into. I want you you to start developing entrepreneurial mindset. Opportunities abound in agricultural productive resources, agricultural products trading, facilitative services, insurance marketing, agric credit, storage, processing, transportation, packaging, distribution, consultancy, training, research and development, export business, etc. I urge you to embrace these opportunities and very soon, you will smile to the bank," she concluded.
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