A bill seeking to establish a comprehensive legal framework for transforming and modernising Nigeria’s agricultural sector has passed second reading in the Senate, paving the way for further legislative scrutiny.
Sponsored by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, representing Kano North, the proposed legislation seeks to strengthen food security, agricultural productivity, mechanisation, irrigation, financing, agro-industrialisation, rural development and climate-resilient farming.
Following the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committees on Agricultural Production, Services and Rural Development, and Agricultural Colleges and Institutions for further consideration.
He directed the committees to submit their reports within four weeks.
Titled *A Bill for an Act to Provide a Comprehensive Legal Framework for the Transformation and Modernisation of Agriculture in Nigeria*, the legislation is also intended to promote sustainable agricultural development and address persistent challenges across the sector.
Leading the debate on its general principles, Barau said agriculture, which once served as a major driver of Nigeria’s economy, had declined in its contribution to industrial and economic activities.
He recalled that between the 1950s and early 1980s, agricultural production supplied raw materials to several industries, including textile and processing companies in Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.
He lamented that industrial centres such as Sharada and Bompai in Kano, which previously supported significant economic activities, had become largely inactive.
Barau also cited the Green Revolution Programme introduced during the Second Republic, arguing that the absence of an enabling legal framework made it difficult to sustain the initiative beyond the administration that introduced it.
He said Nigeria possessed the human and natural resources needed to develop its agricultural sector but lacked effective structures to harness its potential.
“The bill is to provoke conversation, bring in our expertise to look at the entire scenario and see how we can change the trajectory,” he said.
The deputy senate president urged lawmakers to approach the proposed legislation with patriotism rather than partisan considerations, stressing the need for collective efforts to reposition agriculture.
Contributing to the debate, Senate Whip Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, said the bill could help translate Nigeria’s economic diversification ambition from dependence on oil to a stronger agricultural economy.
He said agriculture accounted for about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and provided approximately 70 per cent of employment.
Monguno, however, expressed concern over the country’s failure to meet agricultural budgetary allocation targets, noting that allocations in recent years had reached only about five per cent at their highest.
He said the proposed law would provide a framework for addressing constraints in mechanisation, agricultural financing, rural infrastructure and post-harvest management.
Also supporting the bill, Senator Babangida Hussaini, representing Jigawa North-West, said his experience as a practising farmer had informed his assessment of the proposed legislation.
He recalled that although the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme was introduced in 1976, Nigeria had yet to develop sustainable financing mechanisms capable of adequately supporting farmers.
Hussaini said the bill would harmonise agricultural policies and programmes while addressing gaps across production, financing, marketing, storage and processing.
Citing Jigawa’s production of hibiscus and sesame seeds, he said inadequate storage, marketing and processing facilities had limited farmers’ ability to maximise the commercial value of the commodities.
He also called for greater attention to livestock production, describing the subsector as an important economic opportunity.
Senator Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South, described the bill as comprehensive, saying it covered major areas of agricultural production and development.
He identified mechanisation, irrigation, research, innovation, extension services, financing and support for women, young people and small-scale farmers as important areas addressed by the proposed legislation.
Ani said the framework could help tackle challenges facing farmers, including climate change, inadequate equipment and poor agricultural infrastructure.
Similarly, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, representing Ondo Central, backed the bill, arguing that a statutory framework was necessary to ensure continuity in agricultural development policies across successive administrations.
He said the proposed legislation would establish a National Agricultural Revolution Programme with defined national targets and implementation strategies.
According to him, the framework would require successive governments to sustain established agricultural development programmes rather than abandon them when administrations change.
Adegbonmire also cited the Green Revolution Programme introduced in 1976, noting that its lack of an enabling law made it vulnerable to discontinuation by subsequent governments.
He described the proposed legislation as a far-reaching intervention that would provide a statutory basis for coordinating agricultural development, financing and related programmes.
