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FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011
INSIDE • FG ready to partner OPS -:' Jort(1than
- Page 26
• Food security: FAO prestribes new solution
- Page 27
ops:
Channelling CRS activities towards agriculture
In pursuit of the Corporate Social Responsibility mandate, , many companies have invested in huge projects, including water and power, across the country. In this report, RONKE BAD MUS writes on the Organised Private Sector's recent concern for the neglect of the agricultural sector, with the body calling for a CRS ,refocusing towards this critical sector. LAYERS in the agricultural sector of the economy have stressed the need for the private sector to shift its Corporate Social Responsibility focus to the sector as
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a way of making the nation meet the
challenges of food sEJ:urity. The National Bureau of Statistics recently identified nine major sectoral growth drivers of the economy to
include telecommunications. solid minerals, building and construction,
hotels and restaurants, wholesale and retail trade, real estate. business and other services. The impact of agriculture is hardly noticeable. According to the bureau, their contribution to the Gross Domestic Products in 2010 showed that telecomms made 34.47 per cent; solid minerals, 12.28: construction, 12.16 per cent: hotels, 12.01 per cent: trade, 11.22 per cent; real estate, 10.68 per cent. Based on the statistics, agriculture was the' lowest contributor, with about 9.74 per cent. Prices of food stuff have been rising significantly. in the last two years, mainly because that there are more imported food items in the country. This is happening against the backdrop of complaints from local farmers, who allege that they are not being given proper support and the right incentives by the
government to improve and increase their farm produce According to experts, the result shows that the sector is still lagging behind. They say with the government's plan to diversify the economic base of the country away from oil and gas (which has been said several times in the last 20 years), the sector is still behind every other sector in the country. Stakeholders, who are apparently bored with this repetitive trend, are saying that the enormous responsibility should be lifted off the shoulders of the government and allow the private sector to take greater role in the development of the agricultural sector. OPS chieftains, while arguing for the use of a critical private sector platform - the CRS - say investments in social giving should be refocused, with more going into agricultural development They justify this position, based on the view that the economy cannot survive without food security. The President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, DrHerbert Ajayi, says apart from the oil sector, agriculture sector is the bed,rock of the country. As such, he says it will benefit the country so much if adequate
concentration is given by the private sector to the sector. According to him. the many areas that need to be focused in the sector, include food security, food sufficiency and storage. processing (which has turned many farmers into importers) and good packaging of goods. "The idea that companies should take part in the development of agriculture is not an idealised view. It is something that can be accommodated within the areas mentioned," he says. Ajayi adds that the world is all about competition, streSSing therefore that ~ good support for agricultural sector through Public Private Partnership, CSR, partnership from other countries and the government will help the
country to compete and industrialise the economy. "From this, other benefits will come in," he adds According to the Managing Director, Dudu Investment and Business Research Centre Limited. Mr. Michael Aderohunmu. the private sector CSR's contribution to the agric sector should be an ethical and economic argument. This, he says. must have benefits for Nigeria agricultural communities and environmental services. Aderohunmu says that the main challenge is how to really structure the contributions and the strategies to carry them out in a way that will be socially eqUitable and economically efficient. He adds, "Tackl ing this challenge will involve advances in the awareness benefits campaign and promotion of agricultural services It will also involve the eradication of the challenges of governance, including the avoidance of elite capture, generating full and equitable participation towards driving the contribution of private sector to agriculture. ,. He says the idea should
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bend towards the proviSion of opportunities to address poverty. governance and environmental management in agricultural!).' and politically marginal areas. '·If appropriate CSR policy adaptation strategies and management are developed. such wiU impact change on livelihoods. ,. he adds. Aderohunmu agrees that with the fact that the economy still needs government's intervention in the area of infrastructure, the participation of the private sector in the agricultural sector will increase investment in capacity. ''This could also be done through agrir; development training. whereby the private sector CSR. with government agencies. can jointly undertake research for developmertt: in some specific areas and for some agric produce." He adds that it is also a necessary preparatory step for sustainable agricultural development becau?e more jobs will be provided for young graduates and they will acquire skills in specialised areas in the sector. The immediate past President, NACCIMA, Dr. Simon Okolo, says, ''The agric sector is a private sector affair; the government has little or nothing to do in the sector because it is mainly owned by private sector operators Okolo urges private sector operators to channel all their development efforts towards the agric through their CSR objectives, saying, ''Agric sector is the mainstay of the economy. after crude 0\1. and a country that cannot feed itself is in trouble."
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