Netherlands Memoranda Aids Millions of Nigerian Farmers

By: Victor Ulasi, Nigeria

The Netherlands has signed a Memoranda of Understanding with Nigeria in the agricultural sector that would enable the Netherlands to invest and develop the agricultural business capability of Nigeria.  This action has the potential to liberate over 20 million Nigerian farmers from poverty.

Before the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria, agriculture was the country’s main source of income boosting their  economy and putting the Nigerian Naira ahead of the Dollar.   It was hoped that the discovery of crude oil in the country would help to make it one of the richest in the world.  However, the Nigerian economy has suffered  economically since the discovery causing the Naira to fall below the dollar.

The Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Sayyadi Abba Ruma said the Memoranda of Understanding together with the Netherlands investmentment in agriculture will allow for over 20 million farming families to be liberated from poverty.  There is also the intended provision of employment opportunities to the unemployed.

One of the major challenges of theNigerian agricultural sector is that a majority of  the Nigerian people dont’ purchase their own agricultural products which would lead to the country’s sustainability.  Many in Nigeria prefer foreign agricultural products to their own domestic counterparts because most of the domestic propducts are either substandard or the same price as the foreign products.

While speaking further Ruma said, “Establishing a partnership with Netherland in agri-business would enable Nigeria reap the dividends of the investment and boost the competitiveness of the sector with the oil sector and to also bridge the gaps in the value chain.”

In an interview with a Nigerian farmer, Mr. Umar reported to World News Vine that the Federal Government of Nigeria would most likely embezzle the funds allocated to the agricultural sector by the Netherlands and raise a substandard infrastructure.  This has been the case previously, when the Federal Government of Nigeria embezzled over 13 million USD from America to Nigerian power sector via the Federal Government.

“Unless the Netherlands put in the infrastructures, oversees the projects, and controls the funds themselves, their efforts would be a wasted one as the Nigerian government will only use the funds from the Netherlands for their own personal and selfish interest,” Mr. Umar stressed.

The Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Arie Van Der Wiel made it known that Netherlands was interested in investing in the agricultural sector of Nigeria, most especially in the area of processing, storage, distributing and marketing and agri-businesses in Nigeria.

World News Vine also learned that the government of Netherlands has expressed interest in the other areas of business in Nigeria that involves exportation and had set up Netherlands expert of agriculture to conduct a research on Palm Oil, milk production, meat packaging and Cocoa, Ginger, Groundnut and other crucial business in Nigeria.

To this end, the people of Nigeria welcome the Netherlands with the anticipation that the Netherlands intervention in Nigeria’s agricultural business will be the savior to the decaying agricultural sector of Nigeria.

Short URL: http://worldnewsvine.com/?p=8984

Published on Mar 6 2010. 4 months, 3 weeks ago. Filed under International Business News, International News, International News by Publishing Editor, WorldNewsVine, economic recovery, economy.

Tagged with Agriculture, Farmers, International agri-business, Netherlands to liberate 20 million farmers from poverty in Nigeria

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