Revitalization of agriculture as a strategy for reducing poverty in Nigeria

The time for agriculture to shift from “farm” to “firm” in Nigeria has come. This can serve as a giant stride for industrializing the sector as well as for achieving food security thereby reducing poverty rate to a bearable minimum. Using modern technology and methods in agricultural production should be supplemented by modern marketing in agro-business, adequate information and agricultural sustainability for the safety of our environment. The study found that agriculture played a significant role in the Nigeria's economic growth and its downturn is one of the contributory factors of high rate of poverty in the country, hence its revitalization will make a great difference. It also found out that majority of Nigerians(rural dwellers in particular) are engaging in agriculture as a source of livelihood or income, but very negligible few are aware of modern agriculture. Similarly, very few are benefiting from assistance made by government and NGOs. Therefore, there is the dire need for government and NGOs to commit themselves to helping farmers with enough information, good road networks to link rural farmers with other areas of market prospects, mechanize, or at best, industrialize the agricultural processes. The rural farmers should also be made to know about competitive advantage skills, local content initiative, value chain management; production, processing, packaging, storage, distribution and marketing of agricultural goods at profitable rate.