‘Border closure, opportunity for local farmers to build capacity’

An agriculture expert, Mr. Ismail Olawale, has called on Nigerian farmers to seize the opportunity of the border closure to build capacity for locally produced foods and other goods.


Olawale, a fellow at the Nigerian Agriculture and Extension Liaison Service (NAERLS), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
He said his agency was working extra time to keep local farmers abreast of the opportunities in the agriculture sector following the border closure.


“Basically, I think it is an opportune time we begin to look inward in value addition for Nigerian agriculture produce. Irrespective of how long or short the Nigerian borders are closed, it is a good lesson because it will give Nigerians in agriculture sector opportunities to research and find out they can do better.
“As a research institute with our activated National farmers’ helpline centres to give farmers adequate information, we will put in more efforts to enlighten farmers on the opportunities.


“We also have trainings and seminars that can increase the awareness levels of local farmers and improve their perception of the opportunities that abound in Nigeria following the border closure,” he said.
Continuing, he said: “Our aim is to breach the gap where these foreign products have an edge over Nigerian agriculture produce.
“The knowledge of this border closure can encourage local farmers to explore the opportunities in the market, sell their produce to Nigerians and be encouraged to do more.”


Olawale also called for improvement in the agriculture value chain to make smuggled imported agriculture goods less attractive to the Nigerian market.
“We need to do our homework to know how banned products were penetrating the market and were the preference of Nigerians before the border closure.”

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