4 Ways Government Can Support Agriculture
Everything the world consumes comes from agriculture.
Agriculture is not only the basket that feeds the world but also one of the sectors of the economy that provides mass employment.
This means that the farmers, farm workers, food transporters, food sellers, and farm equipment repairers all have their means of livelihood connected to agriculture.
That is huge, right?
And that’s the reason every government should invest in agriculture.
How can the government support the agricultural sector?
Financial Empowerment and Loans
It is sad that in this age of modern farming, many farmers still depend on tedious manual farming because of a lack of money to purchase the required farm machinery to make their work easier.
The government can intervene by providing more financial support programmes, it would help the farmer’s efforts, bringing about an increase in yields.
Encourage Partnership with Private Sector
The government should encourage partnership between farmers and private sectors with structures that support small and large scale farmers.
This could be done through agricultural financial intervention and subsidy programmes to help farmer cut their bills.
Security
Insecurity affects everything about us, including food production.
It is no news that farmers in the troubled parts of the country sometimes count their losses in huge numbers — loss of lives, crops, poverty, etc.
Farmers need security while working on their farms, security for their crops, transportation, and all.
Agricultural Policy
Good agricultural policies encourage farming and agricultural operations in the country. It serves as leverage for farmers and encourages growth and profit.
Favourable agricultural policies could be extended time for loan payback, reduced interest for agricultural loans, duty-free fertilizers, agricultural support schemes for farmers, and so on.
Agriculture needs all the support it can get from not just the government, but also individuals and the private sectors.
However, it hinges more on the government’s efforts as it creates a safe and favourable environment for others to lend their hand of support.
Are you a farmer or interested in agriculture?
You can learn more about agriculture atFarm4Me(www.farm4me.com.ng)
