Agriculture is increasingly recognized as a crucial sector for economic development in Nigeria, and organizations like Save the Consumers often advocate for its potential to bolster the nation's economy. Agriculture not only serves as the backbone of Nigeria's economy but also holds the key to addressing many of the challenges the country faces, including unemployment, poverty, and food security.

Investing in agriculture is a proven strategy to drive economic growth, job creation, and food security in Nigeria. By focusing on policy reforms, infrastructure development, technological innovation, and value-added services, Nigeria can unlock the full potential of its agricultural sector and create a more diversified and robust economy.

Organizations like Save the Consumers contribute by raising awareness about the importance of agricultural growth and its impact on both consumers and the larger economy. They can also help advocate for fair trade practices, food safety standards, and support the fair treatment of both farmers and consumers.

Here are several insights on how agriculture can augment Nigeria's economy, as seen through the lens of organizations like Save the Consumers:

1. Job Creation and Rural Development:

Agriculture is a labour-intensive sector. With over 70% of Nigeria's population living in rural areas, there is a massive opportunity to create jobs by investing in both crop farming and animal husbandry. A vibrant agricultural sector can reduce the rural-urban migration by offering viable employment opportunities in the countryside.

2. Diversification of the Economy:

Nigeria’s reliance on oil has made its economy vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices. Agriculture offers a way to diversify the economy, reducing dependency on oil and creating a more resilient economic structure. By investing in sectors like crop production, aquaculture, and agro-processing, Nigeria can develop a more sustainable economic foundation.

3. Food Security and Self-Sufficiency:

Despite being an agricultural giant, Nigeria still imports a significant amount of food, draining foreign exchange reserves. Encouraging domestic food production and reducing reliance on imports can improve food security and help stabilize prices. This also improves the nutritional status of Nigerians and reduces the vulnerability to food-related crises.

4. Export Opportunities:

With the right investment, agriculture can become a major foreign exchange earner. Commodities like cocoa, palm oil, cassava, and groundnuts are some examples where Nigeria has a comparative advantage. By improving productivity and investing in processing, Nigeria can expand its export market and gain a competitive edge in global trade.

5. Sustainability and Environmental Impact:

Agricultural practices that prioritize sustainability can have positive long-term effects on the environment. By encouraging organic farming, agroforestry, and the use of eco-friendly techniques, Nigeria can promote an environmentally sustainable agricultural model that contributes to both economic growth and the preservation of natural resources.

6. Increased Value-Added Services:

Beyond just growing crops, value-added agricultural businesses (such as food processing, packaging, and distribution) can generate significant revenue. The development of agro-industries creates additional economic opportunities, boosts exports, and raises income levels in rural communities.

7. Technological Innovation and Smart Agriculture:

The use of technology in agriculture can significantly increase productivity. Precision farming, agricultural drones, and improved irrigation systems can reduce waste, increase yields, and optimize land usage. By fostering innovation in agriculture, Nigeria can improve food production efficiency and profitability.

8. Policy Advocacy and Consumer Protection:

As an organization that focuses on consumer rights, Save the Consumers could play a critical role in advocating for policies that protect both consumers and producers. This includes ensuring fair pricing for agricultural products, improving access to markets, and addressing food safety concerns. Furthermore, fair trade policies and subsidies for smallholder farmers can create an enabling environment for sustainable agricultural growth.

Most people are still in the doubt regarding the reality of corona virus. What evidence do you want to see? The confirmed cases?  The recovery cases or the death cases? They are all in thousands. The Corona virus  is presently tormenting the most sophisticated countries and gradually creeping into the developing countries with little or no health facilities

Surprisingly, the virus started it's attack on the influential groups  of Nigeria  because of international engagements in countries with high cases of Covid-19.  Ironically,  the disease is not a respecter of your poor status nor rich status except you follow the basic rules to avoid contracting it.
The idiosyncracy of the African blood being stronger has been demystified.

Covid-19 disease is unprecedented and it has brought  several countries to an unimaginable status.

Lest it does not get to the poor in Nigeria who can not afford the test process, the ventilator among other needs.

The poor must respect and activate social distancing, hand washing, controlled sneezing and the most difficult of it, staying at home.  Though for someone who earns daily what he or she consumes,  this current debacle has become an aberration.

But we are all in this quagmire, lets defeat corona virus, by staying at home for some weeks.
Lets abide to avoid Covid-19 Fatality. The Nigeria economy is in shambles already.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to the fore all that is wrong with the Nigerian health system and the society at large. It has exposed how ill-prepared we are for large-scale emergencies.
This plague has been ravaging China since December 2019.  Many countries that had access to the Covid 19 pandemic report scaled up their medical intervention strategies in order to mitigate against unprecedented outcomes. Nonetheless, countries like USA,UK,Spain and Italy never saw it coming, though they had an established prepared Health system.

As at the 21st century,  Nigeria is still grappling with  lassa fever that broke out in lassa town Borno state in 1969. The government hasn't decisively dealt with  management and eradication of Lassa fever since the outbreak in Maiduguri.
Of recent,  Lassa fever Killed 177 people in the last out break.  In fact a certain medical practitioner  by name Dr. Philip died of the infection while treating a patient.  How prepared are we in tackling the lethal Corona virus when as a country we haven't properly dealt with Lassa fever that has killed over 150 Nigerians in the past 6 months?  Currently,  Lassa fever and other minor ailments like Malaria and cholera are killing thousands of Nigerians every year.  At the moment,  government hasn't shown a concerted effort towards totally eradication.  

I think the government needs to also declare a state of emergency on it's health care management system as well as on lassa fever.  Could Governments ineptitude towards Lassa fever be as a result of it only ravaging those from very poor communities?
A serious country would have supported a research home and abroad rather than waiting for it to happen every year.

Nigeria currently has 40,000 medical doctors to cater to 200 million Nigeria, it is far below WHO 1 Doctor to 600 citizen.  Currently in Nigeria, it is 1 Doctor  to 6,000 Nigerians.

I personally give it to our Medical doctors, indeed they have upheld the  "Hippocratic Oath" principle. They evermore exhibited more patriotic zeal than our political leaders.