Mr Allen Onyema, CEO, Air Peace has underscored the need for massive investment in Nigeria’s agricultural sector to achieve the Federal Government’s diversification goal.
Onyema gave the advice on the sidelines of Israel-Nigeria Agrinnovation Seminar on Friday in Abuja.
The event, organised by the Embassy of Israel in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had the theme: “No room for small dreams”.
The Air Peace boss said it was high time the country started looking at agriculture as the anchor of the economy as against oil currently the mainstay, which would be exhausted one day.
“The earlier we start looking the way of agriculture, the best for us; we are blessed with massive land in the north and that is hope of this country in future.
“Forget about the desert looking land, Israel has proven that you can farm even in deserts; the Israel agric technology is laudable, it is something that can benefit Nigeria.
“If we key into it, then the country will benefit from it; the landmass in the north will someday bring this country out from its holes.
“Agriculture is the way to go and it will create massive job employment, if we can key into agriculture with the technology coming from Israel Nigeria will be exporting food.
“Even it will become the second oil; oil is extinguishing so the next hope is agriculture and nothing more,” he said.
He commended the good Nigeria-Israel relations, and called for more to be done through knowledge sharing on agricultural technology and entrepreneurship to achieve targets.
The event featured a start-up competition for agricultural entrepreneurs.
The two winners of the competition were Ms Shiaye Mesharon-Dom, who represented Crop2Cash organisation and Mr Temitayo Bamidele, Blum Global Fellow.
The winners will participate in the second phase of Agrinnovation in March in Isreal.
