The Dangote Group of Companies has announced plans to invest 4.6 billion dollars in the nation’s agricultural sector in the next five years.
The Chief Executive of the Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, listed sugar, rice, tomatoes and oil palm as some of the agricultural sub-sectors where the monies would be invested.
Speaking at the 6th edition of the 2017 AgrikExpo and NABG Conference in Abuja on Monday, Dangote urged government at all levels to rehabilitate and construct feeder roads to ease the movement of farm produce to markets.
According to him, such steps will help to reduce costs of production and prices of goods.
He also said that improving technology in agriculture would guarantee improved inputs (seeds, fertilisers), and also help farmers improve yields.
Dangote added that if agriculture must succeed in the country, farmers must be young and active.
“We need to improve human capital in every aspect of the farm value chain. There is need for infrastructure to be in place to enable farmers transport their produce from farm to markets,’’.
He urged state governments to initiate programmes that would promote areas of their comparative advantage in agriculture to boost food security and assist Federal Government’s agriculture efforts.
He also called for adequate cooperation between the public and private sector to enable agriculture thrive in the country.
“Agriculture cannot thrive in this country except there is a better partnership, collaboration between the private and public sectors,’’ Dangote said.
