Jide Arowosafe Speaks on What is Missing in the Agricultural Sector

Have you ever considered working in the agricultural sector? With the country’s population exploding as years progress, it is important that more young people contribute to this sector because it is a major lifeline of sustenance. Mr. Jide Arowosafe, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consultant, spoke on the role interested individuals can play in developing the sector at the just concluded Annual SME forum hosted by the National Association of Small Medium Enterprises (NASME) and The Republic Media. He was one of the dignified panelists at the event, being a former Commissioner of Agriculture in Ekiti state. According to Mr. Arowosafe, most Nigerians avoid the business of agriculture altogether because they are turned off by its production aspect. “Most Nigerians see Agriculture as just production, which should not be so,” he says. “Other aspects of the value chain include processing, logistics, and sales/marketing. Logistics especially is a promising business opportunity at the moment, as linking more buyers to sellers is a major problem in need of a solution. Agriculture is crying for those who would feed the logistics part of the chain,” he says. He added, “We produce more than a billion naira worth of food every day, and this needs to be transported to millions across the country before it wastes. “This opportunity is viable with the growing number of working class people who do not have time to go to the market. Interested entrepreneurs can bring the market to them instead. “Apart from transportation, proper packaging of said goods should not be overlooked. It’s all about packaging. Package your products, and they’ll do well.” At the forum, questions on securing finance from banks for such endeavours were posed. Mr. Arowosafe’s suggested that farmers should ensure their business plans and presentations are faultless. This is a major step towards gaining the trust of banks. Mr. Arowosafe believes that agriculture is the next frontier for Nigeria that will soon replace the oil sector. “You can help to accelerate this development by investing in agricultural logistics. Not only will you be providing a solution, but you’ll make money in the process as well,” he said.       About the Writer: Ify Halim is a young Creative and promoter of values through the force that is writing. Follow her on twitter @MissHalim.