A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION OF AGRICULTURE AND ITS IMPACTS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA

A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION OF AGRICULTURE AND ITS IMPACTS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA

Background to the Study 

Agriculture comes from the Latin words "ager," which means "field," and "cultura," which means "cultivation." This shows that crop cultivation was the oldest type of agriculture (Are, Igbokwe, Asadu, Bawa, 2010; Erebor, 2003). It's worth noting that agriculture encompasses more than just agricultural cultivation. It also involves animal production, primary product processing (or value addition), and produce and product marketing. Agriculture, according to Erebor (2003), is the art and science of cultivating the land, processing crops and livestock products for human use, and selling surplus crops and cattle. Meanwhile, (Kricher,1997) defines agriculture as "the simplification of nature's food webs and the rerouting of energy for human planting and animal consumption." To put it another way, agriculture entails rerouting the natural flow of the food chain. The natural flow of the food web is that the sun supplies light to plants, which converts that light into sugars, which the plants use as food (this process is called photosynthesis). Herbivores (plant-eating animals) eat plants, and herbivores eat herbivores, and carnivores eat herbivores (meat-eating animals). This simple food network image serves as a starting point for examining the influence of agriculture on economic growth. Agricultural revolution is a vital pre-condition for economic expansion, especially in emerging nations, according to literature and economic history. Agriculture's contribution to overall economic growth and modernisation has been the focus of development economists. According to Todaro and Smith (2003), the undeveloped economy is divided into two sectors, based on Lewis' theory of development. The traditional agricultural sector, which has zero marginal labor productivity, and the contemporary industrial sector are the two sectors in question. Agricultural revolutions are a prerequisite for take-off and take-off phases in Rostow's linear stages of economic progress. The significance of a thriving and flourishing agriculture is reflective of its role in providing job opportunities for the burgeoning population, eradicating poverty, and contributing to economic prosperity. The literature on the relationship between agricultural and economic growth is extensive (Ogen, 2007; Okongwu, 1986; Atte and Muhammed- Lawal, 2006 to maintain few). Agriculture, according to Izuchukwu (2011), has been the backbone of the Nigerian economy, providing employment and a means of sustenance for the country's growing population, accounting for more than half of the country's GDP at the time of independence in 1960. However, due to the dominance of the crude oil industry in the economy, its importance in the country's regional and economic growth has dwindled over time. With rising food demand in Nigeria, the country has the natural resources and potential to increase crop production volume in order to fulfill the food and nutritional needs of the country's fast growing population and ensure food security (Todaro and Smith, 2003). As a result, agriculture is the primary source of national prosperity. Without a doubt, the neglect of agriculture in Nigeria as a result of the finding of oil has slowed the country's economic progress in recent decades. The impact of this neglect could be felt in people's low quality of life, as the ordinary Nigerian was described as surviving on US$ 1 per day, which translates to N165 per day in today's Naira. It's not unreasonable to conclude that such a comment is a political ruse. A better, more honest, and realistic assessment of the situation would place an average income of US $0-0.5 per day on the faces we see daily on our streets and those we may not be able to see because of their inability to muster enough strength to walk up to the street as a result of several days of hunger and starvation, or even food-related ill-health and avoidable deaths of tens of people every day. According to studies, seven out of ten Nigerians live in abysmal poverty, unable to feed, clothe, or shelter themselves (Ogen, 2007). Nigeria and her Sub-Saharan African neighbors have been dubiously dubbed as citadels of hunger, poverty, illiteracy, illnesses, suffering, debts, filths, and crises by the world's political and economic forces. Unless individuals and governments in this doomed section of the global village take sensible steps, this undeniable imagery will remain imprinted in the world's archives for a long time. The study's goal is to evaluate the influence of agriculture on economic growth in this context.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

Apart from oil, the Nigerian economy's main assets include its abundant agricultural resources, people resources, and large markets (Atte and Muhammed- Lawal, 2006). These resources must, however, be successfully deployed in order to diversify the economy and minimize reliance on oil and imports. The economy is nevertheless exposed to exogenous shocks such as fluctuations in crude oil prices across the world and rising import prices. The negative balance of payments, unemployment, and poor capacity utilization in nearly all sectors, as well as the population's eroding buying power, are all symptoms of the resultant external and internal in balances (Atte and Muhammed- Lawal, 2006). Agriculture's contribution to Nigeria's economic growth is quite low when compared to what it was in the previous 14 years. Nigerian agriculture retains many of the traits of the peasant economy that dominated the country before to independence. In light of the foregoing, the purpose of this research is to determine the influence of agriculture on Nigeria's economic growth.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to analyze the impact of agriculture on economic growth in Nigeria. But for the successful completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following sub-objectives;

1. To analyze the impact of agriculture on economic growth in Nigeria.
2. To evaluate the contribution of the agricultural sector on economic development
3. To evaluate the relationship between agricultural sector and economic development
4. To proffer solution to the identified problems

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher

H0: agriculture has no significant impact on the economic growth of Nigeria

H1: agriculture has a significant impact on the economic growth of Nigeria.

H0: Agricultural sector does not have any significant contribution to the economic development of Nigeria.

H2: agricultural sector does have a significant contribution to the economic development of Nigeria

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the federal ministry of agriculture, as the study seeks to evaluate the contribution of the agricultural sector to economic growth in Nigeria. The study will also be of great importance to all agriculturist  as the study will guide them to take advantage of the tremendous opportunity that is available in the agricultural sector and contribute their own quota to economic growth and development. The study will also be useful to researchers who intend to embark on research in similar topic, Finally the findings of this study will also be immense benefit to government, academia, scholars, researchers and the general public.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the analysis of the impact of agriculture on economic growth in Nigeria. But in the cause of the study, there are some factors which militate against the scope of the study

a)     AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material      available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.

b)     TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider         coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities        and examinations with the study.

c)     FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not     allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the        researcher has other academic bills to cover

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Agriculture

Agriculture or farming is the cultivation and breeding of animals, plants and fungi for food, fiber, biofuel, medicinal plants and other products used to sustain and enhance human life.

Economic growth

Economic growth is the increase in the inflation-adjusted market value of the goods and services produced by an economy over time. It is conventionally measured as the percent rate of increase in real gross domestic product, or real GDP, usually in per capita terms

Economic development

From a policy perspective, economic development can be defined as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating and/or retaining jobs and supporting or growing incomes and the tax base

Government sector

The general government sector includes all institutional units whose output is intended for individual and collective consumption and mainly financed by compulsory payments made by units belonging to other sectors, and/or all institutional units principally engaged in the redistribution of national income and wealth

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

        This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the subject matter.     Chapter three is a research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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