[SPECIAL REPORT]
projected to increase by about one-third, which will require
a 70 percent increase in food production (FAO, 2009). To
meet this need, Nigeria must focus on yield frontier for
major staples. Increasing cereal productivity not only meets
staples demand, but also allows the land release to diversify
into high-value crops. Finally, technologies to increase
input use effi ciency and improve management practices are
necessary for sustainable and competitive production systems.
Life sciences are now the leading source of innovation in
agricultural science, especially biotechnology, and India with
its lead therein can provide direction and leadership. Thus,
mutually benefi cial partnerships can channel the expertise
of the Indian agriculture towards agricultural and overall
advancement in Nigeria.
Nigeria-India Development via Agriculture Practices
India can play a signifi cant role to boost agricultural
productivity, transform Nigeria’s agriculture, and improve
competitiveness through partnering on the fundamentals
as per the Africa Competitiveness Report (2015), African
Development Bank. These include:
• Development of high-yield crops by facilitating increased
research into plant breeding, soil types, fertilizers, etc.
• Boost irrigation and adopt small individual-based
approach as with the growing eff ects of climate change there
is a need for more irrigation
• Provide and facilitate in making better use of information
technology; software as it can support better crop; fertilizer
and pesticide selection; improve land and water management;
provides access to weather information; and connect farmers
to sources of credit. Giving farmers’ information about crop
prices in diff erent markets has increased their bargaining
power
• Biotechnology support to develop and adopt high-yield
Genetically Modifi ed (GM) crops resistant to weather shocks,
as they provide an opportunity to address food insecurity
• Help and partner to step up integration into Agricultural
Value Chains (AVCs)
In recent times, India has made several overtures towards
Nigeria with a sincere intent of re-branding relationship in
the context of old ties, and within the spirit of South-South
Co-operation. Nonetheless, bilateral trade is yet to achieve
its true potential. Putting adequate trade instruments in
place along with refocused and realigned agricultural ties is
crucial for sustainability and well-being of global citizenry. In
addition, addressing market access constraints and non-tariff
barriers that hinder the free trade across the region's frontiers
will provide the impetus for greater bilateral economic
synergy. Hence, Nigeria and India together need to work for
advancement and shared benefi t, both on agricultural and
industrial turf.
References:
• Africa Competitiveness Report (2015). Available at www.
reports.weforum.org
• Ekanem, P. U. and Ikeanyibe, O. M., (2017). An
Assessment of Nigeria-India Bilateral Relations in the
Agricultural Sector, International Journal of Social Sciences
and Humanities Reviews, 7 (1), 213 –219.
• FAO. (2009). How to Feed the World in 2050. Rome:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
• Pingali P. (2010). In: Handbook of Agricultural
Economics. Pingali P, Evenson R, editors. Amsterdam:
Elsevier, 3867–3894.
• Timmer C. (200&0. Structural Transformation as the
Pathway Out of Poverty: The Changing Role of Agriculture
in Economic Development. Washington, DC: The AEI Press.
• Wapmuk, S. (2012). Bilateral Trade and Investment
Relations between Nigeria and India, Africa Review, 4(2),
122-135.
* The author is Research Focused Professor, Namibia
University of Science and Technology and can be reached at
neetajb@rediff mail.com
Nigeria-India• 2018 • 19