By Tesky Timothy Agoben (University of Lagos, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology ; Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo)

This paper focused on ‘The Prospects of Nigeria’s Development through Agriculture, National Food Security and Agro-Based Industrialization’. To effectively examined how these areas of the agricultural sector can serve as prospects for Nigeria’s development, the role of agriculture in a country’s development were highlighted and it was found out from previous agricultural and developmental journals that, agriculture has the potentials to reduce poverty, provide employment, ensure food sufficiency in a developing country and can also improve her GDP and foreign exchange earnings. The impacts of national food security on development were also examined and excerpts from previous studies showed that, national food security has the capacity to improve the health of a country’s population, save local and foreign industries the cost of doing business and reduce a country’s import. It was also found out that, agro-based industrialization has the potential for accelerating a country’s development because it increases the number of indigenous entrepreneurs, improve infrastructural facilities in rural areas and serve as a link between local industries and multi-national firms through knowledge and skill transfer. The growth prospects areas of Nigeria’s development through agriculture, national food security and agro-based industrialization were highlighted to include: reduction of Nigeria’s poverty rate, improving national food sufficiency, improving citizens’ health, enlarging Nigeria’s foreign exchange earning capacity, expanding Nigeria’s export trade and reducing the internal or external migration of Nigeria’s youth. Finally, the paper was concluded by recommending that; Nigerian citizens should consider a career in agriculture and see it as a pride, retirees should take small scale farming as post-retirement occupation and the current land ownership system should be changed to make land accessible to farmers. Also, small farm holdings should be encouraged in satellite towns of urban centres and a ban should be place on the import of farm produce that could be adequately produced in Nigeria.

Source: SSRN