Agriculture is more than just a sector in Nigeria; it is the lifeblood for millions. It is the source of the food on our tables, the employer of a huge portion of our workforce (over 35%, reports say), and historically, the bedrock of our economy. I often think about this when I see the news - reports showing vibrant market produce right alongside stories of people understandably sighing over the relentless rise in food prices. Despite its undeniable importance, I can't shake the feeling that we're falling short of its immense potential. We talk a lot about boosting agriculture, but the reality for many farmers and consumers tells a different story. That is why I believe, with growing urgency, that it is time for a critical, honest look at the policies meant to guide this vital sector.

It’s not that Nigeria lacks agricultural policies. Over the years, we've seen numerous initiatives - the Anchor Borrowers' Programme (ABP), the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (ACGS), the National Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAGS-AP), and various fertiliser support programs, just to name a few. More recently, there's buzz around the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Project partnership with Brazil and the upcoming National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM), which promises to use data analytics to enhance productivity and stabilise food prices. The stated goals are always laudable: boost yields, ensure food security, increase exports, create jobs, and encourage investment. I have also noted recent moves to review specific policies like the National Gender Policy in Agriculture and the National Policy on Food and Nutrition, which are positive steps.

However, acknowledging these efforts doesn't negate the need for a broader, more fundamental review. Why? Because despite decades of policies and significant budget allocations (though often debated as inadequate), the core challenges persist, and in some cases, seem to be worsening.

My primary concern, shared by many Nigerians I speak to, is food security. How can we claim success when projections indicate that over 30 million Nigerians -  perhaps as many as 33 million – could face critical food insecurity by August this year? These aren't just statistics; they represent families struggling to afford basic staples, farmers unable to make ends meet, and a nation grappling with unacceptable levels of hunger and malnutrition, especially among children. The disconnect between policy aspirations and the food reality on the ground is stark and deeply worrying.

Then there's the persistent implementation gap. It often feels like well-intentioned policies crafted in Abuja struggle to translate into tangible benefits for the farmers in remote villages. We hear about challenges in getting support like subsidised inputs or credit to the actual smallholder farmers who need it most. Issues like delays, logistical challenges, difficulties identifying genuine farmers, and lack of capacity among implementing agencies seem to plague even promising schemes. It echoes past criticisms of policies being "half-hearted" or inconsistent – a pattern that, in my view, needs to be broken.

This directly impacts the smallholder farmers who form the backbone of Nigerian agriculture (nearly 88% of the farming population, according to some sources). They grapple with a mountain of obstacles: soaring costs for essential inputs like fertiliser and seeds, inadequate access to affordable credit despite dedicated schemes, dilapidated rural roads making it hard to get produce to market, and devastating post-harvest losses due to poor storage and processing facilities – losses estimated by some to run into trillions of Naira annually. Added to this are the grave security challenges in many food-producing regions, forcing farmers off their land. How can we expect the sector to thrive when its primary producers are so constrained?

Furthermore, despite talk of technological advancement and initiatives like the Green Imperative Project, our overall agricultural productivity often lags behind global averages. While agri-tech startups are emerging, the adoption of modern techniques, mechanisation, and high-yielding, climate-resilient seeds remains limited for the vast majority of smallholders, often due to cost and accessibility barriers.

And we cannot ignore the climate change reality. Nigeria's overwhelming reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes us incredibly vulnerable to erratic rainfall, droughts, and floods, like the devastating ones reported recently. While climate-smart agriculture is mentioned in policy documents, I believe we need a much more aggressive, practical, and well-funded strategy for adaptation, particularly expanding irrigation infrastructure, currently available for only a tiny fraction of our arable land.

So, what should a review focus on? In my opinion, it needs to be more than just tweaking existing documents.

1. Holistic view: We need to look at how agricultural policy interacts with trade, finance, infrastructure, energy, and crucially, security policies. It can't operate in a vacuum.
2. Implementation first: The review must prioritise how policies are delivered, monitored, and evaluated. How do we ensure transparency and accountability, and guarantee support reaches the intended beneficiaries effectively?
3. Farmer-centric design: Policies should be developed with smallholder farmers, not just for them, addressing their real-world constraints regarding finance, inputs, land tenure, market access, and extension services.
4. Massive infrastructure program: A massive, sustained investment in rural roads, storage (especially cold chains), and local processing facilities is non-negotiable to cut waste and improve livelihoods.
5. Climate action: Practical, scalable climate adaptation and mitigation strategies (especially water management and irrigation) must be central, not an afterthought.
6. Security as a foundation: No agricultural policy can succeed if farmers fear for their lives. The review must integrate strategies for protecting farming communities.
7. Consistent and long-term: We need stable, predictable policies that build confidence and encourage long-term investment, moving away from inconsistent shifts in direction.

Calling for a review is not about assigning blame but about acknowledging that our current path is not leading us to the desired destination quickly enough. It is about ensuring that the nation's agricultural potential translates into food security for all Nigerians, sustainable livelihoods for our farmers, and a robust, diversified economy. Nigeria's future depends heavily on getting this right. It is time we rolled up our sleeves and did the hard work of honestly evaluating and reshaping our agricultural policies for a better harvest tomorrow.