RF President says Nigeria has potential to be the agricultural hub of Africa
The Rockefeller Foundation, on Wednesday, announced its plans to partner with the Goodluck Jonathan led administration on its Agriculture Transformation Agenda.
Judith Rodin, the Foundation’s president, said the initiative was born out of the notion that the country could emerge the agricultural hub of the continent if the transformation agenda succeeded.
Rodin promised that the Foundation would assist government to boost productivity in the sector by focusing on the agriculture value chain.
?The Rockefeller Foundation has a long history in understanding how to promote a green revolution. Fifty years ago, we worked in South East Asia on how to create the green revolution in Asia and to also create a reduction in hunger and food insecurity,? she said.
?Now, AGRA is undertaking that initiative on this continent and many countries and we know that the opportunities in Nigeria for agriculture are great and we feel that the land that is already being used for agriculture can be used more productively.?
She revealed that the foundation was concentrating more on processing, as they were eyeing the new forms of cassava bread and the tremendous opportunities of creating a higher value chain that it will bring through productivity.
?Nigeria can lead by changing from an importer to being first sustaining, and then exporter of many crop varieties. But importantly, this is an area that offers important opportunities for job creation and opportunity for youths for boosting economic development,? Rodin said.
