Plenty of opportunities to revive agricultural sector

THE is need for Africa to commercialise agriculture. Africans should become more self-sufficient. The agricultural sector has shown and continues to show potential for growth.

The pandemic should spur Africans into introspecting and planning how they can revive the agricultural sector and even improve produce.

Producing our own products, coming together as a continent and buying local produce will help reduce the import bill and increase the export rate.

Local soils are short of the right fertilisers to sustain agricultural production.

Organic fertilisers, usually made from plant or animal waste, improve soil structure as well as its ability to retain water and nutrients.

It is thus vital to know which fertilisers are good for which type of soil.

Africa cannot continue to depend on rain to produce crops without irrigation, hence the need to harness water resources to attain food self-sufficiency and broaden local employment creation.

To mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19, Africa must come up with import substitutions and have employment creation as a priority for the economy.

For export opportunities to be created, local producers should be guaranteed by the local market.

Africa has potential to produce more food, which can also lead to growth of the sector and the economy.

The creation of employment in the agricultural sector can help reduce the import bill.

Many Africans have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, so being a part of the agricultural sector is an assurance of safe self-employment.

Let us continue feeding Africa.