Zimbabwe’s loss, Nigeria’s gain – Saraki

Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, told newsmen after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with some of the farmers displaced by the new agriculture policy of Zimbabwe that the state government was set to optimally utilise the presence of the farmers to develop agriculture in the state. DOTUN OLADIPO was there. Excerpts:

What did the Kwara State government set out to achieve when it accepted to host the Zimbabwean farmers?

We are going to see an improvement in the way we cultivate our farmlands, we are going to see an improvement in the yield per hectare, which has always been the major problem of our agriculture in Nigeria. The farmers, after all the hard work and sweat, can only yield one tonne per hectare while it is five or more tons in other places. Meanwhile, it is just a number game. If your input is 50,000 tonnes and at the end of the season you yield 50,000 tonnes, it is not good. But if you can take it three or four times higher, it means yielding about 200,000 tonnes. And it is the same effort. Those are the key issues. If that can be one of the things we can achieve, through best practices, then good. Here, you talk about the farm yields where they (Zimbabwean farmers) would show them (Nigerian farmers) the practices. Those kind of technologies can be passed onto our farmers. Then the most important thing is the agro-allied. Everything that is being processed goes into agro-allied.

The issue of the security of the land was raised when your government first mooted this idea. The fear is that the Zimbabwean farmers would take away the land from the indigenous people. What safeguards do you have in the agreement signed with the investors?

What has been done was to limit the lease to 25 years. After that it can be renewed. Initially we wanted to go for a longer lease but after contributions and input by the people, we made it renewable after 25 years. But the point we should also appreciate is the value we would bring to some of these lands. We have lands, the lands are available but most of these lands are not being put to use. We know how much we spend as government every year clearing people’s lands because nobody has cleared it. I believe there is enough, but how do we make the land productive? And we have assured them. We have met with the royal fathers in this community, there have been series of meetings on the issue with members of the community to assure them that there would not be any problem. We have now found a middle ground that is okay to the community and then to the farmers.

Why the Zimbabwean farmers among several options?

They are the best farmers today in Africa that need an alternative. The South African farmers are happy in South Africa, why should they leave South Africa? So, the best farmers today with the best practices are the Zimbabwean farmers who presently, due to their predicament are looking for an alternative and they want to stay in Africa. Some of them have moved to Australia, some to New Zealand but some of them believe, they’ve been here now fifth generation, they want to stay in Africa. It is the best practice and what we feel they have is that we want them to come and add value to us here.

Are there concrete steps you have taken in terms of the issue of processing and storage, which are two major problems that have been confronting Nigerian farmers?

The processing is no longer the problem of government per se. The farmers would sell their produce somewhere. Majority of these farmers, because they are commercial farmers, anything they are planting they are thinking of the processing. Already, two people have come in now to say if this farmer is producing x number of dairy product, I must set up a processing plant. If this farmer is producing x number of poultry products, I must set up a processing plant. The next stage comes automatically from that. It is even in their own interest to do that. My concept is that this concept of government spoon-feeding people, millions will go away. If we look at how much we have spent, and I keep using the example of cattle, over the years, there should not be any problem with agriculture in Nigeria. But that’s not the case. So, what we are doing now, we have to make the private sector to take the initiative. If they are successful, the next industrial farmers that would be coming in, the terms would be different. They are getting this because they are pioneers. If they are successful, the next farmers they are on their own. I keep reassuring the people, how many are the farmers, 10 to 15, to a population of 2.2 million people, I don’t think they can take over their land. So, let us look at it from that angle and give our support. It is in the interest of our people. And we’ve made it clear to them, maximum three years they must develop a certain portion of the land given to them. And the banks have even given their support. So, even from a business point of view, it makes sense.

The PUNCH, Tuesday, August 10, 2004