An agricultural entrepreneur and Chief Executive of Green Eagles Agribusiness Solutions Limited has called on stakeholders in the sector to act decisively to bridge local deficit in the production of critical food and cash crops to avert an imminent crisis.
Mr Taiwo Oluwadahushola, made the call during a symposium organised for cooperatives in Lagos State in partnership with the State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives on The GreenWealth Project, an agricultural initiative aimed at ensuring food security, export prominence, economic diversification and sustainable wealth for all stakeholders. The project is designed to enhance profitability for stakeholders in Nigerian agribusiness enterprises across the agricultural value chain, as well as facilitate easy and profitable entry for small-holders into agriculture.
Noting that research has shown that agribusiness alone has the potential to contribute up to N402 trillion to the nation’s GDP if industrialisation and innovations such as the Greenwealth Project can be brought to play at a national scale, Oluwadahushola posited that the company was set to spearhead the creative restructuring and innovation required to achieve this goal with the launch of the project. “In achieving this goal, we will facilitate the establishment of Integrated Farm Estates in every local government area across the Federation to yield a rapid increase in crops and livestock, which is produced round-the-year at significantly lower production costs, until we achieve equilibrium of demand and supply at consistently lower prices. “This will provide sustainable livelihoods for millions of rural dwellers and unemployed youths as well as sustainable returns for sponsors.” “Secondly, cottage processing industries within the Integrated Farm Estates will add significant value to farm products upon harvests and provide efficient application of waste to wealth integration of crops and livestock. The cottage industries will enjoy nearness to materials and farmers will enjoy direct access to the whole value chain, including guaranteed markets and exports. “Integrated Farm Estates of at least a thousand hectares each will be established in each of the 774 LGAs across Nigeria.