A REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES IN NIGERIA

This study analyzed the effects of government agricultural reforms on Nigeria’s Agricultural Development with the specific objectives of assessing agricultural programmes and policies in Nigeria, identifying the challenges impeding the implementation of these programmes, determining the contribution of agriculture to the country’s economy over the last three decades (1980-2018), examining the trend in agriculture budgetary allocation over the last three decades (1980-2018) and proffer possible solutions and way forward. The research is largely qualitative and empirical in nature. Data for the study were obtained through secondary source. Findings showed that little in terms of policy guidelines have been formulated to achieve the objectives of effective agricultural policies and programmes in the country over the years. Also, agricultural contribution percentage to overall Gross Domestic Product over the last three decades has not been stable whatsoever, high contribution to the country’s GDP was only occurred in the second year of the last millennium (2002, 36.965%) and since then, except for the fairly significant shoot-up in 2009 (26.75%), percentage agricultural contribution to Gross Domestic Product has not been predominantly prominent over the years. Also, dormancy was discovered in the sector between 1980 and 1999 but significant government contribution to agricultural capital expenditure from 2002 till present was noticed. Nevertheless, it was glaring that the growth in the sector has not been significantly constant and sustainable over the years under review. This research has concluded that the effect of various reforms and programmes on the agricultural sector has been unsatisfactory in view of the importance of that sector to the growth and development of the nation. It was then recommended that there should be policy consistency to ensure continuity, programmes and policies should be monitored, reviewed and modified according to circumstances and time geographically so as to improve on its shortcomings. To this end, government budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector should be consistently increased and infrastructural facilities provided in the rural areas to ameliorate the problems of food insecurity, hunger and poverty in Nigeria.